tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25572383197147099682024-03-05T10:58:45.980-08:00Wines With ChileDavid Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-31263704875593460372010-12-25T17:59:00.000-08:002010-12-25T19:05:40.354-08:00LATINO CELLAR<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 177px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554813829303951170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtwPm5AcRdRdxqmnusFLKf8K77ULMPhMwdS4vZItcmXupBd4jRopPIkSXwhR1FRinRYsi3VWXByfu57-6-o8faZq62AjFUpB3TJT7GYjQ_AGUH2jWk2TsaO11FAUu2TXEXSmacV4cHBt6/s400/your+host.jpg" /> Hello Wine Lovers,<br /><div><div><div></div><div>As you noticed I haven't being writing since September, well this is because we have being very busy working on our latest project: LATINO CELLAR (<a href="http://www.latinocellar.com/">http://www.latinocellar.com/</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div align="justify">LATINO CELLAR is our website, which I created with my partner Fran Flynn (<a href="http://www.frangipanicreatice.com/">http://www.frangipanicreatice.com/</a>) to combine our skills to express both professional passions. </div><div><br /></div><div align="justify">If you are interested in my new blog, please go to <a href="http://www.latinocellar.com/blog">http://www.latinocellar.com/blog</a> , because I won't be writing on this page anymore.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 273px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554813949159733922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyEwhky_V2HewnTB1KdNH6HJu8tGmi4dv21KjHN75pITPsK9MkQ2f2DXx1HBJWrLNU-26BxkXfBQ_L527AOi5zbkHt023KefG2wxKYHKnmQAP7c6l2Dpf73mEazjxG6dY5vAscht5QNzQ/s400/BACO.jpg" /></div><div align="justify">I am putting all my effort into expressing my love for my homeland Chile, my passion for wine, and my desire to share my knowledge with others. Fran will develop the site to offer new technologies and online opportunities as they present.</div><div><br /></div><div align="justify">Over time we will travel together to bring you stories and knowledge from interesting locations within Australia and Chile and other places around the world, you can follow us by Twitter: @LatinoCellar or Facebook: David at Latino Cellar.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 67px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554820888003057474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u73izyGZJddVI3TpmaQ9mat5f7OvMwGypZbZH5XgYsIKeJFGlJcr-5nuv8M8hheRx7miDlAPY2Tnc3af4OEV9XPHQpvYaRxaZtmFFBeehz3fuEZxgSyt2ihgn5L6_oNRyg9jlUxgQ1KS/s400/social+networking.jpg" /></div><div></div><div align="justify">We will promote wines and other products from Chile, South America and other international locations as well as offering special Australian products. The common denominator about our products offered are ones that we truely believe in and would happily serve to our friends.<br /><br />Come and join us in our adventures, to share the Flavours of Celebration...<br /><br />Cheers !!!<br /></div><div>David Stevens-Castro</div><div align="justify">Wine Merchant & Sommelier</div><div align="justify"></div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-14926807251781122742010-08-22T18:19:00.000-07:002010-08-27T16:57:31.224-07:00Australian Terroirs: Adelaide Hills<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 284px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510241796762758914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCbzU0Oft0PFoL4YsaFWoTwaKz7j656xbcsNBtqCyMSmu86WDNWN8OAQs9_nKCZeoFyidRYx-t4xyrTT2UUmRAlvinZ0CxCrHkgDjlXqo_403iMr10CJhqgU-XZt5oarCc42zqh7OGQrW/s320/Shaw&Smith4.jpg" /> <span style="font-family:arial;">Over the last three decades the Adelaide Hills has built a reputation as one of Australia's most exciting cool climate regions producing distinctive, refined and elegant wines. Today there are more than 95 producers and over 4000 hectares of vineyards. Although grapes were planted as early as 1839, it was not until 1979 that viticulture was revived in the Adelaide Hills.</span> <div><div><div><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Located in the Mt Lofty Ranges thirty minutes drive from Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills forms a narrow corridor 70 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide. The undulating topography offers a wide diversity of vineyard sites. The elevation varies from around 400 metres at Macclesfield, to 600 metres at Piccadilly and 700 metres at Mt Lofty. This region is strikingly beautiful with its patchwork of vineyards, forests, beef and dairy farms, apple and pear orchards. </span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 284px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510241999247014146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6Fm3W-Avd8Uhm2mkvUGgBgt6Pza0dqCR4JRoWzLLtXy2V4NTnb9i9dwIvfL98bueWSMp6vAEE1dZHlp0IBucg-nCotdPyMIir-aX5jfR03OzNxszRHlyA8Wtk3c4Y_XZiDtNU7dwSX6g/s320/Shaw&Smith5.jpg" /><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Adelaide Hills is bordered to the north by the Barossa and Eden Valleys with McLaren Vale to the South. Due to its altitude, the Adelaide Hills is significantly cooler than these more traditional regions - on average 4°C cooler during the day and 8°C at night. The cool, dry summer and autumn ripening conditions produces grapes with ideal fruit composition, in terms of concentration, spectrum of flavour and natural acidity. </span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510240114327735890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXf_Y1ZxhpONWcVuIVjI9vfR_r4K7sbPTc2KYjQyp-TmRephdkFAQan7RK7fdML91N2MFMISgGpVNxFyxdLSBZHc-oEDCtaKPXoazKut6J7toqMSLQWTB3iwS48aIhtqVMIzGDAGijjud/s320/Shaw&Smith2.jpg" /><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are particularly well suited to the cool conditions of the region and produce some of Australia's finest examples. Shiraz, Riesling and Pinot Noir are equally impressive, but careful site selection and yield management are essential.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">## Most of the information is from the website of the winery Shaw & Smith, based in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.</span></p><p align="justify"> </p></div></div></div><br /></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-20862515396301723192010-08-07T15:27:00.000-07:002010-08-17T20:07:36.363-07:00The Lady Against the Current<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502800557429996578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC3ubB5J-iDHrWMIyprkJQEWOlQtRDVi4MDER8cQZ7xGypXJw_TMq-eU_VeYDgIbX-Ww9FPNhe7V0YGegFIcwObXnuWx89S-ZHbxbBSOCF2PN3w8XXLToztQHre01tqC1GbX-d0LyFgp_/s400/foradori-1.jpg" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Few female winemakers enjoys greater respect in the world than Elisabetta Foradori from Trentino. When her father passed away in 1984, the 19 year old Elisabetta Foradori had to take over the family’s estate. She might had another career in mind, but she did well taking that big decision.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><div align="justify">Trentino is located in the northeast of Italy, and it has been join together with its neighbouring district Alto-Adige, also called South-Tyrol, which borders to Veneto in the east. When we are talking about Italian wine, Trendino easily is in the shadow of Piemonte, Tuscany and Veneto, . Maybe it’s not that strange, since the wines from the area have struggled to show identity and character in the modern wine world.</div><br /><div align="justify">In the eighties the majority of the local growers wanted to plant international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, even if that meant to pull out the grape varieties. Foradori started to plant the globetrotter Sauvignon Blanc, but she changed her mind when she saw the potential in the local grapes.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502800881406155714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtHLWyvdWwBQbGm1FXpIdkIHAT2Oqq4aNZbxJrailUPVQUMr8RQZHOzOWtCxDAdXnoJzVePC6pgGfrtFcCPEh0l8Z1datieSgcInIJNdRIcmIXR6n0gF4joz-6RpBXsLDupyan7TMpamc/s400/foradori-2.jpg" /><br /><div align="justify"><strong>Back to the roots</strong></div><br /><div align="justify"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">After some years of trying and failing, she was in no doubt: She wanted to go for the relatively scarce and unknown red grape <strong>Teroldego</strong>. Teroldego is genetically in family with the famous Syrah and has the same qualities: Full body and round fruit combined with balanced tannins and its good cellar capabilities. The grape is only grown in Trentino, and the best appellation is Campo Rotaliano, were Foradori has all there vineyards.</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><div align="justify">When Foradori started to study the Teroldego vineyards, she discovered that they were planted with a the idea to achieve quantity instead of quality. After doing a massive selection, where buds were taken from the best plants, they selected the best genetic to bring back the best of the variety.</div><br /><div align="justify"><strong>Steiner-Wine</strong></div><br /><div align="justify">Since 2000 Elisabetta Foradori has converted all of her production to <strong>biodynamic,</strong> and the work now is done by Rudolf Steiner’s principals. In 2003 all of the 22 hectare was converted, but it takes five to seven years before you really feel the great differences, she explains.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The best and most complex red wine goes into the <strong>Granato</strong>, its takes its name from the colour of the wine.The others goes under the wine <strong>Teroldego Rotaliano</strong>. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">She also does the white wine <strong>Myrto</strong>, which comes from 80 years old vines of the local grape <strong>Incrocio Manzoni</strong>, as well as Sauvignon Blanc.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502803209014051826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSV02O-Wt9pTDFCg5IPJ4ed_-nIOU8NKQrlHe1PfkXwLs0_14jJrQvKxjHILhiFbWNwYjLRj1fWKxKlrTT567zS2u8GuHCkcR93auraYwZGH53WSEwwo2IfkKmVR71e4Fg4AG8u94Mqj1/s400/foradori-3.jpg" /><br /><div align="justify">In the case of <strong>Teroldego, </strong>investigations have determined that the genetic structure of this cultivar is frequently present in the Italian accessions.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The strict relationship among <strong>Teroldego, Lagrein, Marzemino</strong>, and specially with Syrah opens new interesting perspectives. Lagrein, considered as the father of Teroldego, is derived from <strong>Pinot noir</strong>. Pinot noir represents a junction point with Syrah; because it is also considered to be the father of the cultivar called <strong>Dureza</strong>, that molecular evidences have demonstrated to be Syrah’s father.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div></div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-76014123323813819132010-06-01T15:25:00.000-07:002010-06-02T01:36:41.126-07:00The Australian International Beer Awards<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8LIe12wB5xANRF96Cmm0jSY0xI6VnoKDVGMe_pyNkiggNlHNctpgISY1SaOMkHNu5nIYZW57ejVcIG0w2Ebh2SAAUuakcCpvvqZDdc6jw-YMZCsCTZk8lqwobOg5QmUy12CePqz8Irwg/s1600/AIBA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 90px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477940401300988738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8LIe12wB5xANRF96Cmm0jSY0xI6VnoKDVGMe_pyNkiggNlHNctpgISY1SaOMkHNu5nIYZW57ejVcIG0w2Ebh2SAAUuakcCpvvqZDdc6jw-YMZCsCTZk8lqwobOg5QmUy12CePqz8Irwg/s400/AIBA.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">The Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) is the pre-eminent showcase for premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific Region. The Awards are the largest annual beer awards in the world with entries from 40 countries in 2010. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">
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<br />Australian International Beer Awards Chairman, Peter Manders attests the increase in international winners to a growth in entries from top tier brewers from around the globe. “We were extremely impressed with the entries received at this year’s Awards. Now recognised on a global stage as the pre-eminent showcase for premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region, the international dominance has not come as a surprise, receiving more and more high calibre international entries each year,” said Mr Manders.</div>
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<br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400">This event held in Melbourne is for brewers of commercial and boutique beers and is not to be missed. </span>The beers are tested over two weeks by a panel of 30 judges and as you can imagine is a lot to be drunk!.</span></div>
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<br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 173px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477936783718851442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSViABgzugxc_ODVDguEIJ3rkfpFp-hlOmNaAVb6SInvysSpWjh8MlCtg9WoQaZzcst38RwEMRXVSnxMqOxF6rEwQZaCZgrP24-r3yhj4hS3hT3MBiE60suzuLrCQ_dgB_ykjlcqqZ7zu/s320/the+kross+family.jpg" /> <strong>"The Kross Family"</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong></strong>(<a href="http://wineswithchile.blogspot.com/2010/02/kross-family.html">http://wineswithchile.blogspot.com/2010/02/kross-family.html</a>)
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<br /></div></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="justify"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I think is always good to know how your favourite is doing on the world stage. everyone has "their" beer that they love, but I would say that these results are a really good inspiration to try more "good ones", those ones on the shelfes that you just often look at, maybe you might want to try them now.</span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">It surprised me that in this year's competition, that not only Kross (Southern Brewing Company S.A.) won medals for Chile. There were other breweries, such as: Salzburg (Cervezas Artesanales S.A) and Szot Microbrewery. </span></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The 3 breweries received : </span></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">1 Gold ( Szot 1000 dias Strong Ale)</span></div><div align="justify"></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">3 Silver ( Kross 5, Kross Golden Ale, Kross Pilsner) </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">4 Bronze ( Kross Stout, Salzburg Doppelbock, Szot Stout, Szot Imperial Stout)</span></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">It's great to see that is something good is coming from my country in the beer world and that they are being recognized on an international level.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The global tendency of emerging breweries is spreading all over and the increasing number of entries in the AIBA shows that. </span></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Keep up the good work brewers out there !!!</span>
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<br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">DSC.</span></div><div align="justify"></div></div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-84100972293174972092010-05-19T02:15:00.000-07:002010-05-27T03:48:47.439-07:00Vintage 2010. Report of Argentina and Chile.<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;">Argentina and Chile enjoyed cool growing season. Argentinean winemakers are pleased with lower alcohol levels and ripe tannins, which they believe have produced an elegant vintage. Chilean Winemakers started harvest shortly after a devastating earthquake, but pulled through to produce a good vintage, even if quantities are down.</span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;"></span></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;">By James Molesworth</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#333333;"></span></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFEuUu7pwbtn8m7MgFMttotw_8pjEJRF7uU750ZxMHAFj68SjDL-Vw8TsmHAmmAANuxPXhImxqlpzhDVZfu_olRDu1qM7yZV0FQadaHhpQ6jsWwV-osAeAipMUvKTkEFVv9mBazpXM_hj/s1600/chile+and+argentina.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472945790820823586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFEuUu7pwbtn8m7MgFMttotw_8pjEJRF7uU750ZxMHAFj68SjDL-Vw8TsmHAmmAANuxPXhImxqlpzhDVZfu_olRDu1qM7yZV0FQadaHhpQ6jsWwV-osAeAipMUvKTkEFVv9mBazpXM_hj/s320/chile+and+argentina.jpg" /></span></a><strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">Argentina</span></em></strong></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;">Sometimes late is better, Despite some reduce yields and delayed harvests, Argentina's vintners are ecstatic about their 2010 vintage, with some calling the best since 2002. An early November frost reduced yields in some areas of Mendoza, the country's most important growing area. After that the region was treated to a very dry season marked by a heat spike in the middle of January that triggered shut downs in many vines. Ripening resumed after a two-week delay, leading to a late but exceptional harvest.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">" The result was the fruit was a very healthy along with an interesting slow sugar accumulation in the last part of the season before harvest ", said Alberto Antonini, winemaker and partner at Altos Las Hormigas and consultant winemaker of several wineries such as Finca & Bodega Carlos Pulenta and Bodega Melipal. " Normally we deal with the opposite: fast sugar growth ahead of a flavour development</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472925165312197906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowvMXmeOTb0IoJBt-_amUf1LQrqZ992313-cnsIG7SVqKOBl0NohKrLd14mHFAi4HMy46S58qv4HFpUiT63dbC1eSDqhmtI5O7fbFW3cXtMJ18gUzZ1oP-9cog6iGyjXESqPrkOTZegak/s320/altos.jpg" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">But in 2010 mo</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">st producers reported alcohol levels of 14 percent or less, relatively low for the region, depiste having fin, supple structures and lush fruit flavours. " </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">Sugars just stayed the same for two weeks, but the phenolic ripeness kept going, so there are no green flavours at all, but alcohols of only 13 or 13.5 ( percent) for us". said Santiago Achaval, of elite producer Achaval-Ferrer.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">"Overall yields are down 20 to 25 percent", said Laura Catena of Bodega Catena Zapata and Luca. "But it is hard to complain about the yields when you taste the concentration and richness of the wines in barrel".</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#333333;"><strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472925596729929794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNHxV9u-YpL1qkB837qI0m4aMsitcHGNviaDlkhg171bJEYaFiSZw0OpHHlhkpP8fhsCmpliWdCbiTCRUpSmGql_brai2iCQGHrGKqJNnU8cVznpxffB6mVLCaIWXiVAgT4Hfg7Oo8GrR/s320/catena.jpg" /></strong>In Mendoza's souther Uco Valley, growers reported alcohol levels of 0.5 to 1 percent below normal, combined with the fresh acidity and ripe, silky textures. " Tempranillo ripened extremely late and Syrah shows exceptional balance and extreme concentration", said Jose Spisso, Head winemaker for Bodegas y Vi<strong>ñ</strong>edos O.Fournier. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#333333;">Further south, in the wind-swep Patagonia region, spring brought several frosts, though none were particular severe.The growing season was windy and cool, further resulting in reduce yields.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">"Veraison was two weeks late but the bunches matured at an even pace", said Hans Vinding-Diers of Bodega Noemia de Patagonia, Patagonia's top Malbed producer. " Then autum kicked in whith warm days, so we got superb polyphenols and fresh acidities, but low alcohols. The year worked for all varieties, if you waited in order to get fully ripe fruit. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#ff0000;"><em><strong>Chile</strong></em></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">Chile's 2010 harvest will likely be overshadowed by the massive earthquake that struck on Feb.27, causing extensive damage to the historical heart of the country's wine industry in the Curico and Maule Valleys.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">While wineries lost wine, tanks and barrels in the quake, the harvest itself came in several weeks late and yields were down 20 percent or more (depending on location). That helped producers grapple with logistics at a time when the industry's infrastructure was under duress ( the quake struck during what normally have been the early part of harvest).</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">Following a cold, wet winter and a cool spring, budbreak and veraison were delayed significantly, up to three weeks in some places. And with cool temperatures running through March and April, late-ripening red varieties sucha as Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere struggled to catch up in some areas. Growers were waiting into May ) the equivalent of November in the northern hemisphere) to finish picking, but were optimistic thanks to dry weather.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">Chile's more recently developed, cooler viticultural areas such as Casablanca, Leyda, San Antonio and Limari were well-suited to handle the 2010 growing season, as early-ripening cool-climate varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay , Pinot Noir and Syrah excelled. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472943958808244818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jdJmdOOP3INHH2wrD36KUU3ub76RaFUocadey3NHNNfDPNlOwNfzmg1hdq6WwlmRSfRGUrctMYioZx-1f67Pvbzwul8UqiEwakWiGK1pI5X0wz55lFwe3cnr2vWhpl5sWFrzfqELvf3b/s320/elqui.jpg" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">"Summer didn't start until december and while we've had the usual number of days between flowering and veraison. everything has ben delayed because there hasn't been enough heat" said Adolfo Hurtado, winemaker for Vina Cono Sur, which specializes in cool-climate varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir " I'm really happy with the whites and Pinot Noir. It's going to be a different kind of year, but interesting "</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">" It's a great year for us", said Agustin Huneeus Jr. of Casablanca Valley's Veramonte " Great acidity and superfresh, elegant wins, with good fruit. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">" In contrast, producers in the country's prime Cabernet and Carmenere spots, the Maipo and Rapel valleys, were harder pressed due to the cooler temperatures. Nonetheless , optimism was still the order of the day. " Red wines ( will be) different than other years" said Aurelio Montes de Vina Montes. " Extremely good color and tannins, lower pH and higher acidity adds to less alcohol content. The wines will be in some way leaner, more elegant and well-prepared for bottle aging ".</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472945162539957874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPC5-q2Warg69E_VVQp8jzXfVP7u28tUTZ6poEOBJiGTrtPk6NImVAVuPGtNg9Q3fdh9Bzlftn5pVdqvDdYzRoN5d-SsXgNcTBAz463768qYLANXiwDFj_EXvS_hE8JtYuYj2ENtGRMZt/s320/woc-video17.jpg" />With the late ripening varieties playing catch-up late in the season, site selection and yields will be critical to achieving quality and balance in the wines.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">" For those who didn't overcrop and had healthy vineyards into April and May, this is an outstanding vintage" said Sven Bruchfeld of Agricola Lavina." But those with lots of tonnage are going to have unripe grapes" </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">"The fact that we had low yields really helped in this cool vintage". said Alexandrea Marnier-Lapostolle owner of Casa Lapostolle, located in the Colchagua Valley. "We harvested two weeks lated than usual but they were ripe" </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">The smaller 2010 crop could lead to some pressure on prices, however, as many wineries neet to make up shortfalls from the harvest as well as inventories los during the earthquake.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">" It's an awkard market now because people are buying wine with insurance money, so it's like they're buying wine for free. With the crop down and people trying to replace stocks lost in the quake, there's definitely some pressure on suppy" said one winery owner who asked not to be identified. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#333333;">### This article is from winespectator.com</span></p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-25737578976319226062010-05-15T18:00:00.000-07:002010-05-15T20:34:14.475-07:00An Overview of the Wine World<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471701083826119714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3argycvsM2UgQmhiv35rgxc9_wioE_0ENQgByUf31YnGA9iMnQ4mXz3VoeOwlBMvzG8RJbwG4L5e46r6uDrVAlHT_8SFHM7UMrxNMZVGlnG8YIp5prNsiwX3Fl-76wT8hz5E8cLjXJdM/s320/woc-13.jpg" /> <span style="color:#000000;">The situation generated by the massive removal of vineyards in European Wine Countries, such as Spain, France, Portugal and Italy, has affected the world-wide supply chain. The scale of the removal has been so vast that it covers approximately 75 thousands has. To put this in context that amounts to more than half of Chile's planted vineyards, which is around 115 thousands has. </span><div><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">A strong price war can be observed in European supermarkets, and not only in table white wines and friendly reds, but also in wines with denomination of origin such as champagne.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">In the United States, the situation is also difficult since the financial crisis. Overall consumers are tending towards consuming cheaper wines than prior to the crisis. In fact, if 2008 is compared with 2009, in the latter year wine sales of expensive bottles in supermarkets didn't pass 50 U.S$ however in 2008 wines of 90U.S$ were a regular purchase. In some restaurant they were even advertizing: “If you drink a wine of less than 50 US$, and you don't like it, we will give you the money back”.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471701549989098226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c9ugXxVvHlrsF9ZGD57vn_nfSTEl2QZ_6AKkltsG1NIcoUKlUbOnIdAn7FaECbN8MYjaE1vHaCv6WERe5qHH71ipuJVZiyh2jUiE9jALN2BfdE7auRISw04mrPbRUbq-fAy2rFvOCNiG/s320/woc-video7.jpg" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">Today, the American and the English comsumer are drinking wine, but with a definite tendency towards drinking cheaper wines. In fact this is a world-wide trend. It is almost certain that Chile will strongly increase the export of cheaper wines, particularly because Chile is already known as a country that produces good wines with attractive prices. If this happens it would be great for the industry because currently the national market is pretty static. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">Retailers wanting to sell wines of higher price need to be aware that the consumers expect destinctively better quality in those wines.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">This kind of consumer is also looking for more than just quality, they want to know what is behind the label; the history of the wine, who is the winemaker etc. This consumer may also want to be in direct contact with the producer and have knowledge of the distribution.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471701303972090498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhJIyu4NYd9rV8n2tuifDMuW7630uaom2jLJ3wieJHUE48KOc7ayuV0YLCJsB9-7Y45u3rq36pW4jR0-CrmcyisxOx9yHrfHNw3yE_SFMmtny4OmGj6CyP5D4cmSo6YixmT_M6MbjawTY/s320/woc-video6.jpg" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">For these reasons wine tourism, show-rooms, international trade fairs, masterclasses etc are becoming more and more important, because the costumer is becoming more educated about what is out there in the wine world. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">The use of the internet, blogs (</span><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://www.wineswithchile.blogspot.com/">http://www.wineswithchile.blogspot.com/</a></span><span style="color:#000000;">), forums, social networks, among others, are being used by costumers to help decide on their purchases. From their place of work, home, restaurant or a coffee shop they can choose what to buy 24hr a day. This virtual world of information is changing the industry and making it more competitive. The opinions of mainstream wine “Gurus” are becoming less appreciated as the costumer now wants to make heir own decision from their own broad sources of information.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">The world is looking for easy wines to drink. The average customer isn't interested in the ritual of tasting. They just want to enjoy the moment and they don't care if the Syrah has blackberry aromas or jam notes. That is for the technicians not for the common consumer. This partly explains, in my opinion, why Rose wine is becoming more popular - It is so easy to drink. What the average costumer looks for now is an immediate, easy drinking wine rather than a wine with cellaring potential. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471701756445446834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MMcWC6OkEeQoi7URa_AlQsDPz4ZUhc2wyRiaN9p4OcLNqEpIqOcl-bNzESX5-fydlpnWWwMaBYB4yibDtgDL_f-Y_jxrqngP9VL3eqV4gJ_QwSDotH7qVvpDctZnOfLFAnwwQhO-4t1_/s320/woc-video8.jpg" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">The world has also become more enviromentally conscious and the "green" tendency will increase the sales of natural, organic and byodinamic wines, and not only in the young-adult demographic.It will also be important to future generations of wine drinkers.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">The countries that are expected to continue growing are: New Zealand with their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, Argentina with their Malbec, South Africa with Shiraz and without a doubt Chile with the Cabernet and Carmenere. And if we are to be specific about wine regions within Chile, Limari and Maule will be the main ones.</span></p><p align="justify"><em><span style="color:#000000;">### Most of the information is from the article " Como sera el mundo del vino 2010 " of the magazine Revista del Campo, which was written <strong>by Sergio Correa,</strong> Winemaker Consultant, Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit, French Goverment. He's part of the Brotherhood Saint Emilion. Translated and Summarized</span> by DSC.</em></p></div><br /></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-34594258229923513062010-05-04T03:31:00.000-07:002010-05-04T19:00:52.430-07:00PANGEA , the Australian and Chilean Connection<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467392511075498786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8we9mbUBEhPvSZauFOuYQbuF6FIrAocELN91Hphk8IqELjyJT0N8mtsBjMh2yuHPcwSJOWT8qsg2c_Yyxx6Fgy3ehYtgYTZGYTio4qiSTIZ0ok8oY2CyK4JRHTSChGsW-cuWrEueKbrF/s320/John_Duval_y_Felipe_To_opt@feature.jpg" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The winemakers Felipe Tosso, of Chile, and John Duval, of Australia, joined together seven years ago to create a project called <strong>Pangea</strong> - which was to produce a premium shiraz. The Ventisquero Winery, part of the VIAL group, is the one who produces this Premium Shiraz and it was when Duval left Penfolds in Australia when the company dared to offer to him this new project in Chile.<br /><br />Duval said yes, and it was great timing that his colleague in Penfolds, the vineyard specialist Rob Gibson was also available. Duval invited him to help them in the management of the vineyard. The Australian duo soon began to manage and understand the vineyard, and little by little the vines of Apalta began to express their terroir. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>Pangea</strong> comes from a vineyard that Ventisquero has in Apalta, in the Colchagua Valley. This Shiraz is planted in soils with the perfect combination of clay and rocks, which allow the vines to have the right stress for optimum results, therefore fully expressing the characteristics of the location. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467391973652808994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKiQ9AZ_SiUFjTxmLbt9I6Rrcv2SPWid1fzkvrkys-ftcxspUxMWGj0VbSiaaqkYjjEpIyFlANsgzmmjzFaK8ehm-0QaEC1jMMxJ7pfSQYR7uYoOjnxFRTS59kwn_1LFwVGEv0gj4nN5A/s320/04.jpg" /> </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>JOHN DUVAL ON WHY THE SHIRAZ<br /></strong><br />If we go back to his beginnings, Australian John Duval joined Penfolds in 1974. Penfolds is the most famous and important Australian Winery ( bottles such as Penfolds Grange or Grange Hermitage are part of their portfolio). 12 years later he became the Chief Winemaker. He learnt from the greats: Max Schubert (Grange Creator) and Don Ditter (the technician, right hand of Schubert).<br /><br />Duval, followed faithfully the legacy of Grange when he became the man in charge, but also left his own mark with a shiraz more in his style. He created Penfolds R.W.T., a Shiraz with 100% French barrel. Quite the opposite to Grange, which is 100% American barrel. That’ is because Duval is an admirer of the subtleties of the French barrel, and how it respects the fruit and for that reason, clearly, French is the wood that uses in Chile for <strong>Pangea</strong>. </span></div></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467596015572813986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3p2W7afgae49CnuvuEY_mAyVPVW_7FHairw0ucuEgiXF96yvkOvMwgggGk-d1Sw1FW7xul8QHuq6ZjB_ucPB29Az8Gtx9QhHU3gPuTeHEB-kJrSx9WQgn9nF0uELY78ZLsHUMLLfJxtcw/s320/JohnDuval.jpg" /><br />He also uses french barrels in his personal project, John Duval Wines (<a href="http://www.johnduvalwines.com/">http://www.johnduvalwines.com/</a>)</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, in Barossa, something that he formed as soon as he left Penfolds in 2003. Also, he uses it in another consultancy, with the Winery Long Shadows, a project created by the pioneer of Washington, Allen Shoup. This is an annually selected group of celebrities from the wine world who are invited to make a wine for that year - only a wine of a certain wine variety. Of course Duval picked up Shiraz, and his wine is called Sequel, from the Columbia Valley.<br /><br /><strong>PANGEA IN VERTICAL</strong> [in the words of the winemakers] </span><br /><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDfUH0lALO_T1ceJCnKt9tlCCjvfM-BB1ZDdn71mPFD7xi8HvXOqq_x2I_gIkDLzTB2RW5iVm8JwhgEt7W8Aokuzz6U0EFZhJAP2lagOFhoM-i85Ly2h_Su_RhmiqKleQ68zwjejZ3ZJJ/s1600/pangea.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 108px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467390616296057970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDfUH0lALO_T1ceJCnKt9tlCCjvfM-BB1ZDdn71mPFD7xi8HvXOqq_x2I_gIkDLzTB2RW5iVm8JwhgEt7W8Aokuzz6U0EFZhJAP2lagOFhoM-i85Ly2h_Su_RhmiqKleQ68zwjejZ3ZJJ/s320/pangea.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Pangea 2004</strong> This harvest is described by Tosso and Duval, as cold. This climatic characteristic is reflected in the wine, and also the fact that in that year Duval and Gibson were just beginning to work out the yields of the vineyard. Its body is medium to light, with a smoothness that caresses the whole mouth.<br /><br /><strong>Pangea 2005 </strong>In this year the climate was warmer, and the wine reflects that also. Just as 2004, Pangaea 2005 has a 5% of cabernet in its mixture, an old trick of Grange to gain more body and structures. Its body is therefore warmer, heavier, and its nose more spicy. Duval thinks that it reflects the purity of shiraz.<br /><br /><strong>Pangea 2006</strong> Is the harvest that today is on the market. "The 2006", explains Duval, "was much warmer, the warmest Autumn he reckons. Tosso adds that they worried about harvesting the grapes before reaching the critical point, when the fruit would start to lose its freshness. But it would seem that they didn't quite make it. 2006 is warm in the nose and in the mouth, it smells of cinnamon, over red cherries. Duval likes the 2006, says that it expresses how the fruit of a Shiraz from Apalta is.<br /><br /><strong>Pangea 2007,</strong> Is from an almost perfect vintage. Tosso takes time to admit it, but soon he says: "yes, 2007 was a really good year in Apalta". The plants were older, more balanced, and the vigor already more controlled. It was a good bet, all together. "Pangea 2007 is my favourite along with 2004, both have common freshness" he continued. "2007 is the perfect expression of Apalta, but with something extra that makes it more interesting". </span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></div></span><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><em><span style="font-family:arial;">*** Most of information is from the Article " En mini vertical " by Mariana Martinez, of the website </span></em><a href="http://www.planetavino.com/"><em><span style="font-family:arial;">www.planetavino.com</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family:arial;">. Traslated and summarized by DSC.</span></em></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></div></span></div></div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-43595551286683756862010-05-01T18:18:00.000-07:002010-05-04T05:44:58.510-07:00A Report of the World Sommelier Competition in Chile<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 151px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466478550876291986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSdgErxF0uM7sCv18YwFQv6GiIlMaYxQrQvxS8wfESQJfZtDRORRdqQgDqneB-vn0QKENQd_qG-JL6A0Pxw0NlvAfk1oyMrm8i_HhA_87RGLUdKfajDlM2Q_NeZwCPoLEBvPydrbaUpQn/s320/world+competition+sommelier.jpg" /> <span style="font-family:arial;">Gérard Basset, until now the only holder of the combined titles of Master Sommelier, Master of Wine and Wine MBA of the world, was undisputedly the great favourite of the public for the “World Sommelier Competition”, event held in Chile from the 10th to the 16th of April. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Basset is a living legend, an example of overcoming adversity and perseverance. This sixth attempt would be his last one to obtain the coveted sceptre (in twenty years the only title he was yet to achieve) and according to the understood ones, this competition in Chile was the last opportunity to obtain it.</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The challenge: seven difficult tests designed by a multicultural technical committee. His opponents did a great job, very technical, and some of them were more expressive or precise than others. But Basset was all that and more. He exuded charm and offered exceptional service - something that everyone admires in a champion Sommelier.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466479290001391810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3akgqnY8aeoYPTl3YNDEjTsTm8031Vw1mSs9yGwNR72t9k4qM7p0PVhAQ1DQJVQiy_AV1MSt56-csB78LGsvHfYlGN0LTQOmiCiUySc5C4vBmWmt4RZVDCKxnsT_kEoX-KCFgf3oeiXd/s320/gerard+basset.jpg" /></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">What </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Basset particularly </span><span style="font-family:arial;">impressed with was his answer to the question: “Define the profession of somm</span><span style="font-family:arial;">elier”. He was proud to answer that a sommelier first of all is a businessman, then, an inspiration for his team and finally, the important link of the chain that allows communication between the producer and the consumer.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The first test was to prepare the cocktail Negroni, he used a second table, like no other finalist. Then, also unlike his opponents, he served respective glasses of champagnes to the ladies first. And once again, making the difference, he closed the service by offering a bit more; alternatives of different finger foods go with the drinks, warmly suggesting that everyone could enjoy them if they were shared.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The second test consisted of matching a list of different wines with a respective plate. The list included: Champagne, Sake, Australian Riesling, Pinot Noir from Oregon, a South African Late Harvest and Argentinean Malbec.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 231px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466479528634855026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQFYVJdK6k0BL3gvS8vNLlNezlQqpfIQdbSi_1QUKy-MjJtjQymG8N2eO36wMkGHqvUBRb0br-9xxEtccsBVfNHAgl7SAFb3rsZpZuJeTcSZAZZXGyE6aPocHt8SF-3Wugq4m6w8s33eh/s320/sommeliers.jpg" /> <p align="justify"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">The third test consisted of presenting and serving a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Basset distinguished by the use of two decanters instead of only one. He also placed them next to a candle to see that they did not pass sediments to the glasses. He served a magnum bottle (1.5lt) of the Cabernet De Martino Single Vineyard.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The fourth test was to identify the errors in the wine list of a restaurant. An extremely complex test, in which it was difficult to find who got more right than wrong answers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In the fifth test, with a time of 12 minutes [that Basset used perfectly], he continued being remarkable. It was the time for the feared blind tasting. Each answer has a detailed description including serving temperature, cellaring potential and pairing. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The sixth test, was less interesting for the public, but not less demanding. Each finalist had three minutes to identify each one of the eight distillates and liquors all poured in small glasses. Among them it was a malt whiskey, Chilean pisco, liquor of cinnamon, Vodka and Amarula. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The seventh test was to identify the name of the place to which five photographs corresponded. Basset once again was most accurate: of five, he guessed four. </span><br /></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The verdict of the technical committee was announced, number 33 was the new champion of the world. Basset was number 33, and took a step to the front to tremendous applause.</span><br /><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 241px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466479130442762162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6J2zKGzRSWsP9gWbb_ktEXV1XG_cBORSoo31PL5-mgjJ2apeGLxMaGMzi5iib51mjLyj0D79vVOcmzNs6Uz_CBIkwQY8IaeHm6QQx2lmlI3cpdTI8SBxFkzgy5DVpvwFfscbqPQxwOQD/s320/basset.jpg" /> <p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The night continued with speeches from the national authorities and the International Association of Sommeliers; the deserved gratefulness to the students of the School of Sommeliers of Chile who worked sunup to sundown offering a service of excellence at both lunch and dinner.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Also there were gifts for the Chilean Sommelier Association, presided by Héctor Vergara. And the most important gift of all was a collected donation of US$21,000 between all the members of the Sommelier Association, along with wines of the world for a future auction. Everything was collected with the purpose of contributing to the repair of damages caused by the earthquake on the 27 of February.</span> </p><p style="FONT-STYLE: italic" align="justify">*** Most of information is from the Article:" Inglaterra Campeon" by Mariana Martinez, of the website <a href="http://www.planetavino.com/">http://www.planetavino.com/</a> . Translated and Summarized by DSC</p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-82722770460845306622010-04-24T22:51:00.000-07:002010-04-25T14:33:05.283-07:00Guayacán, The First Premium Beer of the Elqui Valley<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464060312452377058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMgVk-IGhsDMRBa36HyOLt7u3IP4JDvCSaHASKtbYIDOm4-AsINtvLKYjBY1PgCbViN1qZSmw9zuOQ33sBLbFc5i8CCxnxnDA-iQMxzkdDsY0Y9dP8zLdLtXI14C0qpXOlZhejVsn2Qi1/s320/guayacanlogos.jpg" /> </div><div align="justify">Guayacán brewery was created by 3 friends who met each other when they studied Agronomy, in the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. After that period of time, they traveled around the world with different motivations, returning back home to work in companies related with the Fruit & Wine Industry. </div><div align="justify"><br />On my last trip to Chile I went to visit my friend Cristobal (one of the 3) and his partner Pata at Guayacan, both enthusiastic people, with passion for what they are doing. I tried all their beers and I gave them my opinion about them. There is a lot that can be done still with Guayacan, but what they’ve already achieved is sensational, the first premium brewery in the Elqui Valley.<br /><br />It was in 2008 when they decided to establish Guayacán Brewery (<a href="http://www.cervezaguayan.cl/">http://www.cervezaguayan.cl/</a>). They are based in the North of Chile, specifically in the IV Region of Coquimbo.<br /><br />From the beginning of this adventure Cristobal, Andres and Victor have a common vision :<br /><br />-To form a unique and innovating project, that is the first beer of the Elqui Valley.<br /><br />-To use one of best waters of Chile in the production, since water is the essence of a good beer.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">-To take advantage of the extensive hours of sunshine available in the Valley of Elqui and utilize it through solar panels.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464076061316869970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w8_eDgSnI0wuFK8AjmnGtAQJXBAKL0cLt8AFG4HFH9Zl_umzMM0ULKEoX2Fz1Mlcx6lJaJ_ydlEwXv8v7s30zkQWPdkvtJ2vyFxBik-9YqqHtR-Ny2cj-VkeyUM9aRoWM7yddM0y4phQ/s320/IMG_0387.JPG" />-To encourage the development of a tourist circuit with the Wineries, Pisqueras and other companies of the area to promote the Elqui Valley and its products .<br /><br />-To help put the town of Diaguitas "on the map". Diaguitas is named after the original indigenous population of this area. Their cultural traditions are a colourful and attractive drawcard.<br /><br />-To generate work opportunities in the area.<br /><br />-To contribute to the decentralization of Chile, creating new projects and opportunities outside Santiago.<br /><br />After 1 year of endless work, Guayacan was opened on the 18th of September of 2009, on our Chilean National Day. The brewery intends to supply all the restaurants, hotels and bars of the Elqui Valley, La Serena, Coquimbo and Santiago. </p><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464063393240713010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ounxKl8haxQs4lZAo679biXQmZSWN35t4qOgJKsc2KI7TkUQYrFen1Ccd2Z-9gnDDrlDkBFPKM2nFLssD-bMBeGJA3kYhjC1qVwxmJtUzZgLrOyyBSM0dRXycIFwrQ1qjQPQOosrOQ4T/s320/IMG_0419.JPG" /></p><p align="justify">I travelled from Santiago by road with my partner Fran. We enjoyed the "road trip experience" so much because it was more than 10 years ago since I was there, and my goodness, Chile is getting better and better !!!<br /><br />The Elqui Valley is located approximately 500 km to the North of Santiago and runs from the City of La Serena towards the Andes Mountains, beside the Elqui River.</p><div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464066813671613698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRI8-OOUaE_LM-7O5Wlc6SYklu4HD7Dvl_8CKtI5GJqfnEyhol0UxIYGnU0OmzGpxRGgZY6VzLhKBtLqNb5CrMgYRQeOM_5tICeMEny42-Sdz9aIfJv-Cec4gXEBMYpgMwB7FPZx28Ezld/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" />Travelling from La Serena the road goes through sectors of impressive attractions, such as:<br /><br /><strong>The Puclaro dam</strong>, which covers a surface of 760 hectares. It supplies potable water and irrigation to valleys of the Elqui and offers excellent conditions for the practice of water sports like <strong>windsurfing </strong>and <strong>kitesurfing</strong>.<br /><br />60 km to the east of La Serena city is <strong>Vicuña</strong>, with 300 clear sky days during the year. It is a great spot to see the stars. There are 3 international astronomical centres in the sector: Tololo, Gemini and Soar. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464074080342590866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsVvphctOqT-kSQnbjC91l2fZ2I5Kiou57rd031EnVtlOlKOr1ExgZ8QX7oWH8OrpZWh2bQDZVVWYLWx9IHM2PATrLwAWvTtDmjcsgZah5YslOzNln_SVwcaaIsQPKQ8hKXQbiFR45Py_/s320/IMG_0410.JPG" />The town of <strong>Diaguitas</strong>, where the Guayacán Brewery is located, 8 km from Vicuña, is one of the most colourful places of the Elqui Valley and it is characterized by a series of houses made in the neo-colonial adobe style. It is located between the impressive Mamalluca hill and the Elqui River. There is a project to declare Diaguitas as National Monument. </p><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464064506945363810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Cxjdsz0sBz5UzMVdX-KPd3imvtQW8tZAW8XW0lCaAEBhfFsC_0ShL6B2WyjVbTYT-1CYiU4auoC4Z6IlapW4sYu-U9hWZAqp4yvOYEQKu8Omc8Pd9Mh91p_hG5ihT-ngD99s1SijQYXp/s320/IMG_0401.JPG" /> </p><p align="justify">The town of <strong>Pisco Elqui</strong>, at 1,247 meters above sea level, is a beautiful and colourful location that is visited by tourists throughout the year and especially in the summer months. It has two “Pisqueras”, both recognized for the quality of their distilled spirit "Pisco", Chile's national spirit. It also boasts a great variety of restaurants, hotels and tourist activities . This little town is pretty much the Capital of the Elqui Valley.<br /><br />We visited all these attractions and enjoyed very much the company of Cristobal and Pata. I invite you to visit Guayacan and the Elqui Valley. There are plenty of things to do and most activities are relatively close to each other. The exotic landscapes became part of your every day experience and you can feel so calm and relaxed in this amazing part of Chile.<br /><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464070220494462178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHogYPJbcN0i1Koczjab9eXWO0_JcDWhPIbHBsdJgdY3FwKeEsisfs6ZRpFvqUgB9j8pGBMBeZfGnfoAr2b2FUztYB8hDLHe4M6bv_jYZtiKhyphenhyphenk8H-O4Sp-W4Y55dySUs9UR2oSei31IHa/s320/IMG_0399.JPG" />David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-42207723447074227892010-04-17T17:17:00.000-07:002010-04-18T00:28:49.573-07:00Walking with the Wizard<div align="justify">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmuzpSL11-0dwrnakZ1JKoDg9s-xYMR6kSwxwb5yPCx56vrUOhh56UYnYr6DktC0dHvaMQqDc-UwuXY3Wpp73etsJCd1pHet6QePYoKPF5hw9o9JhPyJROHbD46Rq-Ng5nAKbpp84dbn/s1600/alvaro+espinoza.jpg"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 177px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461266063628460850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmuzpSL11-0dwrnakZ1JKoDg9s-xYMR6kSwxwb5yPCx56vrUOhh56UYnYr6DktC0dHvaMQqDc-UwuXY3Wpp73etsJCd1pHet6QePYoKPF5hw9o9JhPyJROHbD46Rq-Ng5nAKbpp84dbn/s320/alvaro+espinoza.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Alvaro Espinoza is one of Chile’s most widely recognized winemakers and has been part of many successful projects, including the introduction of biodynamic agriculture for winemaking grapes.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span>
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<br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">In 1998, while Alvaro was working in California, he met and worked with Alan York, a worldwide known Biodynamic Consultant. Alan gave him a book about Rudolf Steiner. This was a critical point of change for Alvaro – it utterly altered his views on nature.
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<br />Personally I am really interested in his methodologies and understanding more about the processes that are used by the many wineries that he consults to, both in Chile and other winemaking regions. I was lucky enough to organise an exclusive visit with him when I recently travelled to Chile. I was invited to meet him at “Los Robles” Farm, in the Colchagua valley. This is where “Emiliana”, the Chilean winery most recognised for its work with organic and biodynamic wines, is situated. </span>
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<br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461296436030768738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1H4-s3MJwzeLPMY878XZ0M76NbJhimuOfkTMhPH5Nl2kjxqJ_Qs7lOxOU1AyI4GBDq3rvbYaeVEjEUTI3-kwpYDPPMPGt5-aozSU57RWA36c8cTChAZJeY6q95ybq5tgNLRrwoQLRhFxE/s320/emiliana+map.jpg" /></span> <span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Click to see Interactive view of Emiliana Vineyard</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></span>
<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#000000;">( </span><a href="http://www.emiliana.cl/organic-biodynamic/interactive-vineyard/"><span style="color:#000000;">http//www.emiliana.cl/organic-biodynamic/interactive-vineyard/</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> )</span></span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">This visit was definitely on of the highlights of my trip, without a doubt.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">Alvaro has been the Consulting Winemaker of many wineries in Chile and in other wine countries. He has helped create the premium organic and biodynamic wines from the Casablanca, Maipo, and Colchagua Valleys, Chile’s most prestigious wine regions. Bottles like: GE, COYAM and ANTIYAL are part of his legacy.</span>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 296px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461289033264252706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFR9a-4g_0e6VOU_LSRXFm6Cfm9ak7agk2zfvdccuMGSUROvQMqB602mLDfrCiyRKfHX2L-lusfCHrU9dgkAj43K1jgy6VO_elgnFUhoty5CWwgEtfexs47qrRDxCnzrX9MtoPnY325IDQ/s320/legacy.jpg" /> As soon as I got there I said straight away that I wanted a to hear a summary of everything that he has done so far at the Emiliana winery. It seemed like a pretty big question but he gave me a great overview as well as a complete explanation of biodynamic techniques, with fantastic infectious enthusiasm.
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<br />As he explained we walked through the vineyards, and he told me quite a few stories, in his own particular style, and pointed out relevant examples as we went. He explained (in broad terms) his commitment to farming aimed at increasing biodiversity with a total absence of agrochemicals. It’s a great challenge I’m sure you can imagine. He said, “only someone who is already a good farmer can develop good biodynamic agriculture techniques”</span>
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<br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461293871454369026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qnlsm5jfzxG4b6jSW_ViV0lyyWSxMTgJYmhrTfChZ_iyxlnYUSb6gAL6RvJa-mS4MEC9NCwMElHJ7Wd03b7uRru-7XIahPlZQ2wQvDebZ70O83GnHEYdryzaGmjrzUA2nOOzuq1btXnt/s320/alvaro.jpg" /> He is visibly passionate about all that he is involved in. He believes that the prime objective of this type of agriculture is to produce healthier foods and restore biodiversity, as well as aiming to reverse the problems generated by conventional agriculture, such as soil degradation, desertification, pollution and contamination, the loss of genetic diversity, and the presence of toxic residues in the harvests - and that’s just for starters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Arial;">
<br /><span style="color:#000000;">He also gave me great insight into how a vineyard can be genuinely self-sustaining, without the need for external chemicals or products. This isn’t a popular concept for corporations but it makes so much sense on a community level. Reducing our footprint on the planet, eradicating waste, and nurturing the correct balance of life.</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461370538627998402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieggsumD1wDg4d12as0USqVGaf8NkazgTDBngcOmmnA1TrnK3M0EgdPVYGNk3i4Fh3xysUtdBTevoQEDf6lkZ4HRWpZq4iu3G39aBQErILOYYF1rgS10ywxjYlZCawSuG1QGk0zUwIjWWW/s320/oak+farm.jpg" /> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">In addition to their commercial crops they have also introduced of animals for fertilisers, wild flowers for insects, and a nursery for developing seedlings [both for food and biodynamic preparation] which overall further enhance the holistic nature of the farm. Interestingly they are also very involved on a community level, with children from local schools regularly visiting, and workers on the farm being allocated a half day a week of their working time to be able to develop food for their families, and sharing their knowledge and educating as far as possible.</span>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;"></span></p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;">I have to say that one of the most interesting points of the visit for me was when we went to the storage area of the biodynamics preparations. It had such a sense of medieval times, when it would really have been a wizard that collected all the ingredients and prepared the potions, and developed the plans for the development of the crops. It gave me a realisation of how much relevant knowledge is actually based in our history, and how worthwhile it is to learn more from the experiences of past generations.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 208px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461368334996635010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsnYpKdbiTmqnFJFiTUqG85LU4UBQerSUuHmIXT6JKmOcM2OVARYcQPKajqMzRr99TzRlFkPxxQXjTfS5ml-1PaUOJbV6O7hH9tYpV1ZcLc9hQ3rxx-C7f-WA-5scUivwuMdbeM0-n4Nh/s320/preparations.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 211px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461368704674941650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfpzO3ufOdg7RlTdeeJ-OSHsJ0GufYTtmQbt1CZsB23JjEiEn0n1xshZAw0qIvJH0bFzPuN_I1RH4T5zV2bHhzegmMYEFuYh3IF-z95Qh76kRGayn_YWAL-92dBsvEs-kJST5Z2sUglZe/s320/502+prep.jpg" /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461368531853739346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK70Ys1xuVtCX5QQ2iDSZkWbiRP3JsvoIgk46Do_xBYFFCdO0c-VJnXPZfGedu7Wwc04HbGkz3EXTfMi2F4RJrcxKCXkhOcWPKuvYkGNjNFf42Cq_-3d2S-GsMYK3PG6CtX_u6Yu0MmRco/s320/box+of+preps.jpg" />
<br /></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="color:#000000;">Alvaro was happy to tell me all that he could about his world and I am so grateful to have had such a fantastic and educational experience at the farm, on a beautiful piece of land, in the piedmont of the Colchagua hills, close to Nancagua. </span></p><span style="color:#000000;"></span>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><span style="color:#000000;">Alvaro’s knowledge opened my eyes and his passion added to my enthusiasm for the future. I hope that one day I can develop a property using his achievements as my guide to balance with nature, and produce wonderful results also.</span></span>
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<br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">He is known as “the moth” between his colleagues [university nickname] but I think that ‘The wizard’ might be more appropriate, because the scope of his knowledge in the area of biodynamics and the results of his efforts are nothing short of magical…</span></span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;"><strong>Posted by David Stevens-Castro</strong></span>
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<br /></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-72694131276941521432010-04-09T16:06:00.000-07:002010-04-10T18:12:10.325-07:00Who said Kross ??<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU3U0DBtwfgfptdRN3JZ-XiKu-9i_xu1vRM0MbCiorcTfXjSkLwquqT2Ho5pauo_NjihhyQy5f09ldYyKWYDDT_XtEb51SQZ1GYgAbNaRrbqW_5Pv_V2uVI5rUWKgktAK6tEyOU9MTQ7T/s1600/kross+Funk.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458284719733378082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU3U0DBtwfgfptdRN3JZ-XiKu-9i_xu1vRM0MbCiorcTfXjSkLwquqT2Ho5pauo_NjihhyQy5f09ldYyKWYDDT_XtEb51SQZ1GYgAbNaRrbqW_5Pv_V2uVI5rUWKgktAK6tEyOU9MTQ7T/s320/kross+Funk.jpg" /></a> I have to confess that lately I’ve being drinking quite a lot of Kross beer (<a href="http://www.kross.cl/kross.html">http://www.kross.cl/kross.html</a> ) in my spare time, and trust me, is really easy to do.<br /><br /><div><div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I went to visit their brewery few weeks ago while I was in Chile. Jose Tomas picked us up close to Curacavi, where the brewery is.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Why do I think Kross is so good?</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">-I love the packaging: Funky stuff !!!</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">-I love that every style of Kross beer: Golden Ale, Pilsener Lager , Stout and Kross 5 gives you a sweet finish in the palate, not bitterness like many others.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">-Besides it is not just me who likes it, it has been awarded at the World Beer Championship Awards (US) and at the Australian Beer Awards.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458281228367806450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vpl1DQJs-vlJxGvoQKSwfTxkHC2uyarlrXji_2O7iDpWf8N7GUQ29KwpEKLOHKsL7ZmeERNZ16dVxOcea1ndD7M2NtoC3eGyhfGHIXYGOcm3fJnir46aK9FBPPjnJpOOWg6XTC0b1Wn1/s320/IMG_0295.JPG" /></div><div>Once at the Brewery we were 4 people, Jose Tomas Infante (General Manager) , Asbjorn Gerlach (the Brewer), Fran Flynn (my partner) and myself.<br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Asbjorn explained to us the process of making beer, the properties of the ingredients (hops + malt + yeast + water), and the key factors of the process plus how important the use of technology is to ensure consistent quality .</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Asbjorn is a dynamic German man, who loves his beer and has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. It was such a pleasure to hear all his ideas in terms of beer making. </div><br /><div align="justify">Jose Tomas is the man of the numbers. He is base in the office of Santiago City. After Asbjorn’s tutorial, Jose prepared a Kross tasting which we drunk pretty quickly. </div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458283831994865714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNzeC2byW21XJ0UjPdAXsEz5ioXFQQoTAZAPs-5MM2hk3YJLkmqMnFGtZjPcT1tvBVij0xUYs5ErSFHRTTw-puAiVSJLGKauwitgKAhBpNYLLvaNglbZdQqVouuthHkmUA7yKBK52itCC/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" /> It is obvious to see that everything is working nicely. They have a good team and they are in the process of doubling the capacity of production this year. At the moment they have got 2 brewers and 2 more people who are learning from them. Plus the infrastructure at the brewery is ready to receive lots of thirsty tourists.<br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Well, all I can say now is run and get a cold kross in your hand, you will love it !!! </div><div align="justify"></div></div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-48358636665823758662010-04-04T05:13:00.000-07:002010-04-06T23:45:35.448-07:00MOVI … Straight from the Wine Makers!!!<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456260948923543442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1LM1Gop26-1_AKyt22AJbqgOEInrHg7togIV9Ph1JT-SKeEsqUI0aEOcQOx0seMaEPOM8wa0VvVzg9ZcBqbpv7E0OWRmEQI4097sepq9Y9Zxz534zM7h7NbTaL5Is4r6RQGWYLJTo0An/s320/movi-despegue-sm.jpg" /> I’ve been following this exciting idea from the beginning, the people involved, their projects, and their careers.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Around October 2009 I got in contact by email with Felipe Garcia, a talented winemaker who was involved at Calina and Casas del Bosque wineries, as well as consulting Echeverria and Laura Hartwig. Now he is the face of <strong>MOVI (<a href="http://www.movi.cl/">http://www.movi.cl/</a> )</strong>.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>MOVI </strong>means Movement of Independent Vintners, sounds different, doesn’t it? Especially while at the same time the current trend is that big wineries are buying small wineries and big holding groups are swallowing different wineries all over the place.</div><br /><div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456255276484893106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpC3pX_EViqst8Db3_LHCPf5WZK47Can6CsPj14eBqgGtfh6yrRszRSm0uFHg9BH8I4UBFiD4jFitjZMqUPMUcoluNwlNxvOxAZYxfBm0aHfS2S-k_KfGPW7z9hpG2-a-iUeyb3wOkseP/s320/IMG_0326.JPG" /></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>MOVI</strong> seems to me as a dream of enthusiastic people who believes in wine as a simple expression, personal ideas making personal wines, what is know in the wine world as the “Garage Wineries”. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Some growers of <strong>MOVI</strong> are bigger than others, but in essence they have the same thought, make the wine accessible, to the point that you can talk with the person who made it, and understand what he enjoys about it and what is the message behind the bottle. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456266535947173218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrdsMdS8-J11NrveLpuGcSQ0guZLe84utmLpUbQd2JOEDX-eAVZ4dUEZAsNjk9COwy0ARzpA40zM1VW9u-SMI6sC9vxWL5KVA_LkWbSS-9YSqz-m1NfzAlcPSD2p3ASR9j4Jb4OcmA0pT/s320/105336-constanza-schwaderer-headline.jpg" /> Felipe and his wife Constanza are Bravado Wines, and they invited us to have dinner and enjoy a <strong>MOVI</strong> wine tasting at his place, He cooked a beautiful big shank of meat and between laughs we shared a bit of our lives and enjoyed some great wines.<br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">We tried 18 bottles and I am happy to tell you a bit about them:</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Marina Bravado Wines Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley<br /></strong>Bright Greenish colour with a bell pepper nose, became citric over time, I really enjoyed the acidity and the weight in middle palate. Worth a try.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Aylin Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda-San Antonio Valley<br /></strong>Pale and clear in the glass, crispy nose of fresh green apples, great acidity. I love Leyda!!! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Grande Reserve Clos Andino Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley<br /></strong>Yellow colour and a nose full of nuts, is a super friendly wine with a light body that makes it as drinkable as juice.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456260057998115346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0S2_U2yng6RVQhy76JRopCgnK4nSnQIDBUdlnBN99Q65uM5NIpNbudZZc0zrNg_g-z5nRUmYZf3ymwL1_5mtKObCSdUXT-UiK9fy4AsyGVaTZ-2AhE8JstICDO8B2lmf58BhR8fBLLQ4s/s320/IMG_0300.JPG" /><br /><div align="justify"><strong>Trabun Syrah Trabun Estate, Cachapoal Valley</strong><br />Great artwork on the bottle, red fruit and hint of smoke, it’s not perfect but looks funky.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>I latina Syrah Latina Estate, Cachapoal Valley</strong><br />Dark purple colour, vibrant fresh fruit, spicy and with great stucture. It is a wine that invites you to drink the whole bottle in one go.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Polkura Syrah, Marchigue, Colchagua Valley<br /></strong>Dark colour, nose of black cherry and a tiny bit of blackberry. In the mouth it offers an underlying earthiness and leathery flavours but nothing to drive you crazy. Is got a short finish. </div><div align="justify"><strong>Polkura "Block G1" Syrah, Colchagua Valley<br /></strong>Inky colour, there is more work in this one than the last one, this wine has a firm nose of blackberry and cassis. In the mouth it is rich and broad with velvety tannins and a long finish. </div><div align="justify"><strong>Emocion Starry Night Reserva Pinot Noir, Maipo Valley<br /></strong>very friendly wine displayss cherries and a tiny bit of ceddar. Perfect every day one, I really enjoy this one because it is simple and direct.</div><div align="justify"><strong>Clos Andino Cabernet Sauvignon Grande Reserve, Cachapoal Valley<br /></strong>Medium dark colour, has a sweet nose of cherry and chocolate. In the mouth it offers a long finish. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Hacedor de Mundos Cabernet Franc Reserva Gillmore, Loncomilla Valley<br /></strong>Great Label design. If you like sharp tannins, this is your variety. Green notes that reminds me of eucalyptus, which is property of the variety, is quite fresh and it can live for ages in the bottle. Worth a try.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong># 19 Cabernet Franc Garage Wine Co. , Maipo Valley</strong><br />Pale red colour, pepper and raspberries up front follow by a leafy note, it is fresh with a firm tannin. I have to get used to this variety.</div><div align="justify"><strong>Golden Breast Syrah/Malbec/Cab Sav/Cab Franc Rukumilla , Maipo Valley<br /></strong>A Blend with lots of different aspects to look at. It is quite earthy, the fruit is there but not really clean, I think will get better with time. I would love to try it again in 6 months. </div><div align="justify"><strong>Reserva Flaherty Syrah/Cab Sauvignon, Aconcagua Valley<br /></strong>Dark garnet in colour, this wine has a nose of barnyard, cedar, and dried cherries. In the mouth it offers dried cherry fruit, light tannins and a dirt and leather sort of flavour as the wine finishes.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456269203702094658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwtWJFW0qn_4UXX3prp0z53mnK5kd9w8ZnNeYDyUsuYc-3ibB7jkBCF2dPkN22c3lQ3eQMth7IEkoICf_1YiDJVwN2vBnbTndUxrv5useGlxPANo7_4S9j09ed21Jq6iRyhpt8wdIZLy1/s320/IMG_0303.JPG" /> <div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong># 18 Garage Wine Co. Cabernet Sauvignon/Carignan , Maipo Valley</strong><br />Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of gamey meat, berries, and cassis. In the mouth it offers cedar flavours with lightly bitter, faint tannins that linger into the finish.</div><div align="justify"><strong>Erasmo Cabernet Sav/Merlot/Cabernet Franc Caliboro, Maule Valley</strong><br />Medium dark colour has a nose of mixed fresh herbs, and cherries. In the mouth is got some sour cherry and raspberry flavours. Good acidity balances with sharp tannins, moderate finish. </div><div align="justify"><strong>Facundo Carignan/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot Bravado Wines, Chile.<br /></strong>Purple colour. Close spicy nose. Is got some nerve going on in the palate. I would like to try it again in 6 more months, It needs some time in the bottle, but I can see where this wine is heading. An interesting blend. Great for cellaring.</div><div align="justify"><strong>Cobre Gran Reserve Gillmore, Loncomilla Valley</strong><br />Medium dark colour. Nose of Cherry and Cedar. In the mouth it offers darkly complex flavours of cherries, tobacco, and wood. Nice acidity with a lovely earthiness. I can’t believe that this is a 2003 vintage. Great cellaring potential. </div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-39280334553169860512010-04-01T22:17:00.000-07:002010-04-01T23:12:00.080-07:00Top Chilean Winemakers, " The Ultimate Tasting "<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455414424462055874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsf1o9hgZ3jN371TCnPgln82il1L7hLBw-eWJpziKdEUNqATDpVOc_6myGeUre2xlbYuX0BAfnJPMgFjhjMgClB96-qqHKfQTToDS3Hq6hrkK0Zs4MrN1Pt6EGWfS-DkWyKNY81IiGY-SW/s320/P1120263.JPG" /> Hi there,<br /><br />I was really looking forward to this occasion. Finally I was able to host a wine tasting of the ‘Top Winemakers’ bicentenary selection for my family.<br /><br />In the past I have given you some information about this unique project ( To see it click :<a href="http://wineswithchile.blogspot.com/2009/08/top-winemakers-2010.html">http://wineswithchile.blogspot.com/2009/08/top-winemakers-2010.html</a>). In summary it is the ultimate expression of our winemaking, the 10 most renowned winemakers of the Chilean Wine Industry come together to each create a unique bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, our most awarded grape variety, followed by Carmenere, the most fashionable nowadays.<br /><br />Rafael Prieto and Irene Paiva are the organizers of this project, and I have to say, thanks for the great effort and the experience. As a Industry these things are very necessary. We are a wine country with character and we have to share it. From its origin wine is being made to celebrate and to enjoy as an experience of sharing.<br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455413553490679474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffC9DvgNcfASRtpqmcN6Grhg4iFCNRV_iLAET0fGqhgm1ujd1RSOnj68Ig7Iic29SwTzXvPypmGW2ehqdSDAFyQsAG_tCCFWAzecjAnt41FXzZroTsu2vv8-NjqunlAv02UZi1U1tov-c/s320/IMG_0193.JPG" /><br />‘Top Winemakers’ is made with the intention of celebrating Chile's 200 years of Independence, and certainly, it is a great gift for all wine lovers out there.<br /><br />Lets have a look at my wine notes. I’ve divided the tasting in 3 sections, to create a structure to the tasting.<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">More Cabernet than anything else</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong>Ignacio Recabarren, winemaker of Concha y Toro Winery</strong>.<br /><br />Blend: 93% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 2% Cabernet of Pirque / 2% Cabernet franc of Maipo Alto /<br />2% Carmenère,Peumo, Cachapoal.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />This is a wine with a perfect balance between the powerful and the elegance of the Cabernet. A flashy wine with nice structure and firm tannins. Great cellar potential.<br /><br /><strong>Cecilia Torres, Winemaker of Santa Rita winery.</strong><br /><br />Blend: 89% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 7% Cabernet / 4% Syrah Alto Jahuel, Maipo.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />This is a gentle and friendly Cabernet, soft tannins, red fruits, and a silky long finish. Ready to drink now.<br /><br /><strong>Marcelo Retamal, Winemaker of De Martino winery</strong>.<br /><br />Wine is a 100% Cabernet Maipo Alto.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />The wine is very structured. It displays black fruits, with a very sweet and juicy palate. The aftertaste is very long and dark. So far one of my favourites of the tasting.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455412851630177714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU0imMzaFAcT6V9-810AWqZ3tLn1dK4ExSFa0ByUO6rvnYJE6Mc3EsDghoPgjY82Hxtd3QUC3jj1p4E_W2CfhX0Tv_RTLa8_echj8XIE_2qUYEtBC0L0ppvAph4QmothjDXCHuVUuHcZr/s320/P1120266.JPG" /> <strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Multidimensional<img class="gl_bold" border="0" alt="Bold" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" /></span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong>Pablo Morandé, Winemaker of Morandé winery.</strong><br /><br />Blend: 71% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 12% Cabernet San Bernardo Maipo / 8% Cabernet franc San Bernardo, Maipo / 5% Carignan Loncomilla, Maule / 4% Syrah Loncomilla, Maule<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />The nose has got very ripe black fruits, and it warms your face a bit. The tannins are firm and wild, the carignan component shows a strong and direct aftertaste, adding a great acidity, excellent now and even more interesting in a couple of years. This is in my top 3.<br /><br /><strong>Aurelio Montes, Winemaker of Montes winery.<br /></strong><br />Blend: 70% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 15 % Cabernet de Marchigüe, Colchagua / 15% Syrah Apalta, Colchagua.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />Black and ripe fruit over the barrel makes this wine very friendly and fresh, oily and juicy and with a great structure. Is a wine in the style that Montes has been making in the last decade, quite successfully I have to say.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Adolfo Hurtado, Winemaker Cono Sur winery.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Blend: 70% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 1% de Cabernet Puente Alto / 8% de Syrah de San José, Maipo / 7% Carmenère de Peumo, Cachapoal / 4% Malbec de Peralillo, Colchagua.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />Fruity and fresh, soft tannins up front and intense and meaty at the back of the palate. It is probably quite honest in the way that it illustrates his very recognisable winemaking style.<br /><br /><strong>Andrés Ilabaca, Winemaker of Santa Rita winery</strong>.<br /><br />Blend: 78% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 20% Cabernet franc / 2% de Cabernet Alto Jahuel, Maipo.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />This is a wine that doesn’t show much from the beginning, it has got earthy notes but not an expressive nose, and firm tannins which are very alive. You can cellar this bottle for a long time.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455416175692198338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JaxWcqpOcY2pmF-e_vBuZ-QYFXWZp4ziaUQ89ENHNl0AZ4Oi80apBBMeVcVglhRDX47gkCnfp7_zpisLrAOvQ_8m-ZC_NxK26OLaQtOVKci48Z5JKQ2yLl9lIA93Hs00SN2qyCIAN-dc/s320/IMG_0206.JPG" /> <strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">A bit of everything</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong>Alvaro Espinoza, Winemaker of Emiliana winery.</strong><br /><br />Blend: 70% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 5% Cabernet Los Morros, Maipo / 14,4 Syrah / 6.6% Carmenère / 3,2% merlot /0.8% mouverde de Los Robles, Colchagua.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />Probably the most complex wine of the selection. Very black colour, nose of very ripe dark fruits, the palate is quite broad, covering different areas of it. The tannin structure is balanced and it is surprising the way it shows many aspects of the different varieties that the winemaker used. Is Not my personal favourite, but is definitely a super wine.<br /><br /><strong>Enrique Tirado, Winemaker of Concha y Toro winery.</strong><br /><br />Blend: 76% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 15% Carmenère Peumo, Cachapoal / 7% Cabernet franc Puente Alto, Maipo Alto / 2% Syrah de Buin, Maipo.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />This is a wine with a intense dark colour, smells of plums and blackberries, elegant and meaty, powerful but with a nice balance on the palate. A great wine to drink on a special occasion.<br /><br /><strong>Marcelo Papa, Winemaker of Concha y Toro winery.</strong><br /><br />Blend: 70% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 22% de Syrah de viñedos propios en Maipo Alto /<br />6% de Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 2 % de Carmenère de Peumo, Cachapoal.<br /><br />Tasting Notes<br />Elegant and delicate in nose, fruity, juicy and fresh. It showed different facets as I let it breathe and I feel like I can drink it at any time. My favourite of the selection.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455417442977724770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYBB9FAoW4ywN_xHgNhhNJCz1ovHrfQWkDPTIReJYqZ7-PcRjMVQEMv171wf3v5ia3e8OlF-p6Z3anbd_HgmnuW95WNAqvnIbW8dzkyZZx9XHio0e5rEzCt8cCifDQS_ny8OyI8qAUAP8/s320/P1120278.JPG" /><br /></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-89655611257894337622010-02-19T18:25:00.000-08:002010-02-21T09:49:32.106-08:00The Kross Family<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440408234131770706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURUQgnU1h2DquVTPMLbcyCqOKmR0alNIR_75maViiCgJdheeHoMTtXKts7ssB6JoavJrg2Xd57JCuKiO3yJUfJC8-R4P-Vqy_BljZ__cxfW9P52R-z8OWFqHTvXtem1hk4qkgpfI8I2sS/s320/the+kross+family.jpg" /> The story of Kross Beer begins in 2003 and from the first day the main purpose was to brew a unique range of beers, beers with global flavour , hand crafted from the very best available malt and hops in the market.<br /><br />The Philosophy of this brewery is to brew in small batches, using natural ingredients like crystal water from the Curacavi Valley, premium malts from the Southern Chile and selected hops from around the world. No preservatives or additives are used in the process of Kross Beer.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440475761913180770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwU2y3B2umnVnqfMJ3LnEc0VPMNoPpN6o8y8wmrSYVrp08KmgQg7UwY7XUS0bw9ZgyZ0eiCEOR5q6sWVVNs3fhwDs5jPizCjobFXD2fGGeCh8-T-8udtooymeUd_hNzsCu522gMFFtK_PI/s320/kross+Funk.jpg" /></div>In 2006 was inaugurated the new state brewery in Curacavi. 45 km. west from Santiago with a tank capacity of 60.000 lts. per month.<br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 35.4pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" lang="EN-GB" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><div align="justify">The combination of quality ingredients and care taken by this professional brewery team has being recognized in reknown international awards such as the World Beer Championship in the U.S and the Australian International Beer Awards. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Kross Golden Ale</strong></div><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05BnWkXNSKUznKs1Pzzwet3JaHuEsx0zssacZrOfuiIX712duM4yEKOKsdOs7m31XbL5OpQOR1-vad9juuals8hgAE2lLjfzu44pBMvw3j9IiyoLZ9y2vRsJ4ZaI300e-KsdIbBp9RImQ/s1600-h/kross+golden+ale.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 96px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440412846419130930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05BnWkXNSKUznKs1Pzzwet3JaHuEsx0zssacZrOfuiIX712duM4yEKOKsdOs7m31XbL5OpQOR1-vad9juuals8hgAE2lLjfzu44pBMvw3j9IiyoLZ9y2vRsJ4ZaI300e-KsdIbBp9RImQ/s320/kross+golden+ale.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05BnWkXNSKUznKs1Pzzwet3JaHuEsx0zssacZrOfuiIX712duM4yEKOKsdOs7m31XbL5OpQOR1-vad9juuals8hgAE2lLjfzu44pBMvw3j9IiyoLZ9y2vRsJ4ZaI300e-KsdIbBp9RImQ/s1600-h/kross+golden+ale.jpg"></a></p><p></p><br /><p>Kross Golden Ale is an all malt beer, brewed from a blend of Pale and Crystal malts, lendind this beer its unique golden colour an warm, tasted flavour.<br /></p><br /><p align="justify">The subtle bitterness is due to Horizon hops added early in the boil, while a late addition of Cascade and Glacier Hops provides fresh, citrus-like aromas. </p><div align="justify">Keeping the tradition of the Ale style, the brewer use a unique top fermenting yeast which develops a complex, yet smooth and balanced flavour<br /></div><br /><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Kross Pilsner</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M5SwbNoaXnIpghNwld76mibfPEH5cgRyZGLHktsuuJH-jZRi37SyVJoln7EWyaBy0m72fHvvuTUfa9i6-smCpqK1Ihf5n16E4AqnyaJUHj64Xgp30248GLWPrMid5MSLd2yPNaH8tvM8/s1600-h/kross+pilsner.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 88px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440474534570805378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M5SwbNoaXnIpghNwld76mibfPEH5cgRyZGLHktsuuJH-jZRi37SyVJoln7EWyaBy0m72fHvvuTUfa9i6-smCpqK1Ihf5n16E4AqnyaJUHj64Xgp30248GLWPrMid5MSLd2yPNaH8tvM8/s320/kross+pilsner.jpg" /></a> </p><br /><p>Kross Pilsner is brewed true to style, deriving its pale golden colour from the use of premium Chilean Pale and Crystal malts. </p><div align="justify">It's subtle bitterness is comes from the usea of Horizon hops early in the boil, while a generous late addition of Mount Hood and Saaz hops provides the fresh spicy aroma.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: ZH-CNfont-family:Times;font-size:9;" lang="EN-GB" ></span></div><div align="justify">Is the perfect food pairing for an aperitif with light cheese or sushi. Accentuates the flavour of herbs and spices used in different foods.<br /></div><br /><br /><p align="justify"></p><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong>Kross 5<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV-HIzJsIq4Bc0DQ3kYDif5BuwuuZCN058Rh5joiD6Ha9xt3Uf5IJKhHng-woygzkDEDrV8yqZiwMTOf1FhXgTYqczZbkMAhZ5g4dOgR-GCRCRlK5KIWlFzgHprolCB3PzcWjI4gbUvKX/s1600-h/kross+5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 110px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440475267561117122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV-HIzJsIq4Bc0DQ3kYDif5BuwuuZCN058Rh5joiD6Ha9xt3Uf5IJKhHng-woygzkDEDrV8yqZiwMTOf1FhXgTYqczZbkMAhZ5g4dOgR-GCRCRlK5KIWlFzgHprolCB3PzcWjI4gbUvKX/s320/kross+5.jpg" /></a></strong></div><div align="justify">Kross 5 combines all the specialty malts and hops varieties that the brewery use to create the normal range of beers.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">On the top the brewer decided to age this strong ale in contact with toasted blocks of American oak, which lend the beer and incredible smoothness and add vanilla, coconut and whiskey barrel aromas to the intense malt flavours already present. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The packaging is a coloured champagne bottle of 750ml. enjoy this piece of art.</div><br /><br /><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_U_DgQ8irbpgkUrRgnOvsfIXKREtKohi3Xevp49NSLm6qTiV_XDfIRSeh-00rAuvq_gY2RLEQnP9UnJFH4NYgpYXxaD4awBhQQS4O8Si8EmtWB75GME6gXnVR1q7why8BZM4_uBoEW8U/s1600-h/kross+stout.jpg"></a></p><br /><p><strong>Kross </strong><strong>Stout</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8QbSDT-HLuMBN3bhv9sofZKxkSyq0OFOQengV17N6MkU9_Lve6Vb-aVPuwTqKUhlLjRApzzF769-8wz9PkGX0ZMxReWUWvFJZQ0YZLnvxVG4sUgilD0NuAIrB7kRNVZB1ky5t87gNTry/s1600-h/kross+stout.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 93px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440623526276077810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8QbSDT-HLuMBN3bhv9sofZKxkSyq0OFOQengV17N6MkU9_Lve6Vb-aVPuwTqKUhlLjRApzzF769-8wz9PkGX0ZMxReWUWvFJZQ0YZLnvxVG4sUgilD0NuAIrB7kRNVZB1ky5t87gNTry/s320/kross+stout.jpg" /></a><br />Kross Stout is the version of the traditional " Swet Stout " style.</p><p align="justify">A mix of special Patagonian pale and roasted malts imparts complex flavours of dark chocolate, toffee and roasted coffee, as well as a deep ruby-red colour. </p><p align="justify">Original East Kent Golding hops are used twice during the boil, complementing the roasted flavours with a subtle bitterness.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8QbSDT-HLuMBN3bhv9sofZKxkSyq0OFOQengV17N6MkU9_Lve6Vb-aVPuwTqKUhlLjRApzzF769-8wz9PkGX0ZMxReWUWvFJZQ0YZLnvxVG4sUgilD0NuAIrB7kRNVZB1ky5t87gNTry/s1600-h/kross+stout.jpg"></a></p><p>If you want to try them, let me know by email: <a href="mailto:david@winesofchile.com.au">david@winesofchile.com.au</a>.<br /><br />Cheers.<br /><br />DSC. </p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-16014225675870787192009-12-07T15:42:00.000-08:002009-12-11T16:41:31.994-08:00The Journey of the Carmenere<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuleE1XCJ_VxjZzIpk1V-XM5fY_5EWCSbdwhzdi9m6CTo7ijKd6j-QeK7p3rxVLfCzAiWO10c30Yca1rem5rw0O0mmrL6SIcpDdoSO2BRjHaUvNM-_-OVviXlU6mRYF3phzAD55Zv-smY/s1600-h/reinventing+chile.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412656907221231218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuleE1XCJ_VxjZzIpk1V-XM5fY_5EWCSbdwhzdi9m6CTo7ijKd6j-QeK7p3rxVLfCzAiWO10c30Yca1rem5rw0O0mmrL6SIcpDdoSO2BRjHaUvNM-_-OVviXlU6mRYF3phzAD55Zv-smY/s320/reinventing+chile.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><em>Since the rediscovery of the Carmenere in Chile 15 years ago, it has become necessary to improve the quality of mass produced wines and to harness the marketing power of this variety.</em></span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The relationship of Jacques Begarie (winemaker of Casa Lapostolle), with the Carmenere was not love at first sight. He was aware of it in his native Bordeaux, as well as in Friuli, Italy. Its herbaceous notes bothered him.</span><br /><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">When Begarie arrived in Chile (2004), he came as the new winemaker of the prestigious Casa Lapostolle Winery. A large majority of the international wine critics shared his opinion about it. It was argued that, in the majority of cases, it was a secondary variety. Other critics were more drastic in their assessment and complained against the excessively vegetal character and the capsicum notes that this variety had presented in the past.</span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8Dvkyt87Ty4eWd7Jjc-ZbhmLBsRpypRtAVQj6rmx_PaMM2wl7QE2bh9iNlbYzrJy0WJWlTfaobeQOW2snhx_n1YOulbtINQX21J6WOY_o7eDdEF_PnHw5AbfpffSF72ondOnL4dfOC3J/s1600-h/clos+apalta.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">However, Begarie found a very different reality in the vineyards of Casa Lapostolle in Apalta, in the Sixth Region of Chile. “The Carmenere has a density, a character of elegant fruit and a silkiness that I felt in love with”, the French winemaker explained. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">In 2005, Begarie ran his first vintage in Casa Lapostolle with the Chilean winemaker Andrea Leon as assisstant, both beside the well-known French winemaker Michelle Rolland, who is an international adviser and chief winemaker of the estate . Together they made the icon blend “ Clos Apalta ”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The main variety used was Carmenere. In 2008 the influential magazine Wine Spectator awarded Clos Apalta 2005 ‘Best wine of the Year’.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeiCzscCqDwyU0QZvxTxG6TZ9PbSAMA1CWgUrXqzPy5soV0Yh2HjqlyIJ2RLWYL4Cs5Zj-bPyRNjYUsqNTmt0lHho_LZGKgrsRK501hCqgYnvsg1RhLYhxzfSx4SYdwnNWd_TpCdStEpQ/s1600-h/clos+apalta.jpg"></a></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XT_-GufhTDxny8kwxKltUplyzmeFT25Dfs1qBqawi2y0KRrRGW_CiZGBDwNcfdEVSutIvgsJw-p969GiuFQPn_W6Vu3tz-OdyJ_jxhwctnkX2HeLBbYaWT7eGKmsORNvPXttyuzxr2Hc/s1600-h/clos+apalta.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 87px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413097267700695154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XT_-GufhTDxny8kwxKltUplyzmeFT25Dfs1qBqawi2y0KRrRGW_CiZGBDwNcfdEVSutIvgsJw-p969GiuFQPn_W6Vu3tz-OdyJ_jxhwctnkX2HeLBbYaWT7eGKmsORNvPXttyuzxr2Hc/s320/clos+apalta.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">Never before had a Chilean or South American wine won this award. Finally recognition was awarded to their great achievement. The critics realized that the carmenere is not only an important variety it also produces exceptional wines.</span><br /><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">“Chile has an increasing number of wineries making very good carmeneres, for example Carmin de Peumo (Concha y Toro). It has been important in changing the view of the critics in relation to this variety”, Begarie affirms. </span></p><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Although in the last period of time it has advanced in big steps, there are still several urgent tasks to consolidate the advancement of the Carmenere.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Even 15 years after its rediscovery in Chile there is still a lot to improve, especially the quality of the cheaper wines and the marketing of this variety. These tasks concern wineries and the overall Chilean wine industry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">More and Better </span><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">15 years ago, the great Alvaro Espinoza, who was winemaker of Carmen Winery, bottled the carmenere for the first time, and identified it as such on the label. The decision created sorrow in the industry, because many wines of this variety were sold as merlot.</span></p></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">However, the initial success of this variety made a new tendency in the Chilean wine industry, with every winery trying to make their version and present it to the market.</span></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">That tendency became a problem, because many of the vineyards were planting in wrong spots, without the appropriate management. This creat</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">ed a negative perception of the carmenere as an herbaceous wine with notes of capsicum.</span></p><div align="justify"><br /></div><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412655057125504690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZJvNggdILcJONSotIRCzwbaK9EVop-mXV2fAqot8AJeO13SNNOLNrov0q3DXeB1qZTnEeGtiMa3yRUEJEl65iI6sjhvMP0ZsIN4gL8xWuoCZgwuB8yHetijgKEBnIDCQlu3KK1pRACgM/s320/chile.jpg" /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Chilean Wine industry has had to pay for these wrong decisions in the past for many years. That’s why the success of the Carmenere nowadays, due to many international awards, requires an additional effort to get as much profit as possible.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">First of all, is necessary to increase the productivity in the vineyards, especially in the price range of between 5 to 15 USD)</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Until now, superb quality has only been evident in the higher price brackets. For example Clos Apalta costs 180 USD and Carmin de Peumo costs 200 USD. </span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Challenge is to find wines in any price range of a notable quality. This is the direction that all wineries should be aiming for. Is necessary to understand that the requirements of the Carmenere are far stricter than Cabernet Sauvignon and the “Flexible” Shiraz.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">“The costumer wants to escape from the over ripe fruit, everyone is looking for fresh ripe fruit, which gives some benefits to the Carmenere” said Marcelo Retamal, winemaker De Martino. </span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413109405232912178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTi06zaJy-EW93FuMZCxzUGSFrDOQopechM6ngTM2qMTNl83bV3nDB3dqNyMDeg0hnbq9MCxxZ5nDL_KJEXxtDqa2ENDLnXFAFv-kadJ6nqsCA_rcCT2049obXiyl7jw_kXQ1TDR-owcq/s320/12974-bodega-clos-apalta-winery--lodge--colchagua-valley-chile.jpg" /><br /></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Carmenere demands soil with good drainage. The key point is to allow the grapevine to be irrigated well in the growing period, but when the fruit colouring starts (around January) decrease the watering sensibly to stop the vigour of the plant. In climatic terms, it grows well in sunny, warm weather. “We should pull out all the Carmenere growing in cool climate valleys such as Casablanca” argues Francisco Baetting, winemaker of Errazuriz Estate.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The main effort must be to create a better offering in relation to the price range, i.e. good carmeneres in every price bracket. It is not just all about premium wines, it is also about satisfying every costumer, no matter what their budget.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Consistency is another very important factor. Chile is now known worldwide for reliable Cabernet’s and Sauvignon’s, i.e. somewhere you can find great bottles for good value.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In order to take the next big step it’s necessary to work on a cooperative level within the Chilean wine industry, rather than the current individualistic approach. Several wineries have done studies on different production variables. An effective circulation and discussion of this information is key to generating a critical mass of good quality carmenere with accessible prices.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Commercial support</span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The task of the Carmenere is also in the area </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">of marketing. It is important that wineries finally decide to aggressively market it. “The problem is that many wineries have positioned cabernet sauvignon in the list of the most ambitious wines. For that reason, it costs them to gamble with the carmenere” explains Ignacio Recabarren winemaker of Carmin de Peumo, Concha y Toro.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">From the exporting boom at the beginning of the 90s, Chile has positioned itself as the country with very cheap and very good Cabernet Sauvignon. “It is necessary to bet with our Carmenere. Cabernet Sauvignon is everywhere in the world. We have to compete with Australia, Argentina and France. It is hard to differentiate ourselves. Carmenere must be our flagship wine, as the Argentineans have done with the Malbec or the Australians with the Shiraz“, explains Rene Merino, president of Wineries of Chile.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413114879874961378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IE257DANUoxXLSktITCcFx1YVvRyrMboqk7EihwI6e00f65v8cfZn9cfo-eDr1e4TJTORGV9KFuhYvas3lgi6mA3k_jIJzgsUFqz8HByUGOr0nKBmZwyF13J108g-xXMkVMfel2hGlVB/s320/valle-de-elqui.jpg" /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In fact, Merino explains that, as part the project of “The Development of the Chilean Wine industry for the 2020” (that Wineries of Chile is currently developing) the Carmenere is key.</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">What to call the variety Carmenere ?? </span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Rene Merino, President of Wineries of Chile says: “I am of the opinion to give local character to the variety, as the Argentineans with the Malbec. I would leave it as ‘Carmener’ as the Chileans pronounce it. The important thing is that the industry decides a single name for it. We must arrive at a consistent message, starting off with the name”</span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Most information from the Article of Eduardo Moraga, Revista del Campo 9/11/2009</strong></span></p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-91125314959470052542009-11-08T12:44:00.000-08:002009-11-08T15:51:07.816-08:00Terroir Quebrada Seca<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmuMbyUFRqTBDLzrpbc_svMJzvoWvJ48YYOfiwnYGKJdMa2DQOiODTv3tHmKM2G5cyBm7FMfSGM5gAHRDr1prCLchOs2VyAEvIroDNPYfH6slo_lLfoCY7CQvoXYQiEvPWnFZocJzoreU/s1600-h/chardonnay+de+martino.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 110px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401836863047768402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmuMbyUFRqTBDLzrpbc_svMJzvoWvJ48YYOfiwnYGKJdMa2DQOiODTv3tHmKM2G5cyBm7FMfSGM5gAHRDr1prCLchOs2VyAEvIroDNPYfH6slo_lLfoCY7CQvoXYQiEvPWnFZocJzoreU/s320/chardonnay+de+martino.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The name “Quebrada Seca” or “Dry Cliff” corresponds to the specific geographical area where the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">vineyard is located. The main region is known as the Limarí Valley, and is about 400 km north </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">of Santiago, near the town of Ovalle. The De Martino vineyards specialise in the “Terroir Wines”, </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">wines which have a unique and recognisable personality, resulting from the interaction of the vines </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">with their environment.</span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Formerly, the best renowned growing area was the Casablanca Valley, </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">however the wines from there do not have the mineral nose or the fresh mouth that Limari Valley wines produce</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:100%;">.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="color:#000000;"></div></span></span></span></span></span></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><strong>Geology and Soils</strong> </span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"></span></span></div><p align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">The soil formation began in the quaternary (1.6mill. years ago) and completed its formation to the structure we now see, 12 thousands years ago. Limarí Valley soils are alluvial, having being formed by a river. In this area you will find many volcanic rocks, easily recognisable by their round shape, created from travelling long distances in the river. Over time, the river has changed position and left different layers or terraces, similar to those in Medoc, France and Marlborough, New Zealand. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfax_mtN4V6FC4jkCpD1KXRvShnTux34Cqa13cWtjB-24YNTa6mw-aWFzBJgz2D-eTJ3a1UEwdeSaWYbuI9-qQnQYglhVy2UQdsAasog5M-DtznuTn2DWVmJPneGyOQOw_dnB8gK8jrSV/s1600-h/limari5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 231px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401841540363077762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfax_mtN4V6FC4jkCpD1KXRvShnTux34Cqa13cWtjB-24YNTa6mw-aWFzBJgz2D-eTJ3a1UEwdeSaWYbuI9-qQnQYglhVy2UQdsAasog5M-DtznuTn2DWVmJPneGyOQOw_dnB8gK8jrSV/s320/limari5.jpg" /></a> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">In isolated areas Calcium Carbonates are present. These carbonates have been created through oceanic marine deposits. This feature differentiates the Limari Valley from other areas. It is important to recognise that millions of years ago the entire region was under water, which is why we now find these marines deposits, even in the Andes Mountains. The flow of the river has been responsible for spreading all this deposits through the valley. This combination of factors gives the wine its unique mineral notes in the mouth, almost a sense of salinity. Furthermore, with the top layers of soil being clay, the wine has increased its depth of flavour and developed a smooth, creamy texture. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><strong>Climate </strong></span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Due to very low rainfalls, averaging only 100mm per year, and their occurrence during winter months, irrigation systems are used in the vineyards, with an abundant supply of clean, crisp fresh water available from the Andes Mountains. With its average temperatures in the warmest months reaching to 27º, and in being geographically located 22 km in a straight line from the Pacific Ocean, the cold water of the Humbolt current that runs along the coast of Chile influences the area. </span></span></span></p><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcoQqlJqKbe314tZ4bHd0txnLwSIY_7ZzC-uEImH9zpkUybzG8LU7QPcnTqqu_PwPygR1-AEROT4GpGxCyyfmS-5QEYsIqhyphenhyphenqSRA8WKuJJLlKK8stv-H5uzzwscqAVkPlp4Nx27sVvPEP/s1600-h/Fray_Jorge_National_Park_Chile_Picture.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401846282722035106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcoQqlJqKbe314tZ4bHd0txnLwSIY_7ZzC-uEImH9zpkUybzG8LU7QPcnTqqu_PwPygR1-AEROT4GpGxCyyfmS-5QEYsIqhyphenhyphenqSRA8WKuJJLlKK8stv-H5uzzwscqAVkPlp4Nx27sVvPEP/s320/Fray_Jorge_National_Park_Chile_Picture.jpg" /></a></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></span></div><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;">This current produces cold sea breezes that blow into the valley. However, between the sea and the vineyards are the hills of Talinay in the Fray Jorge National Park, a very important geographical factor, as the hills create a buffer effect, trapping and holding the humidity of the marine breeze, preventing the moisture from continuing inland. It is for this reason that the region never gets problems with Botrytis. </span></span></span><br /><br /></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">The Limari Valley has high sun radiation, with most of the days being very clear, and for this reason the direction that the vineyard faces is very important. The best direction for the vineyard to face is to be orientated parallel to the path of the sun from sunrise to sunset, so that the direction of light is consistently directly above the vines. In this way we avoid the fruit being sunburnt because it is always protected by the leaves. To understand this phenomenon and to be as accurate as possible we recommend tracking this pattern in January. </span></span></div><p align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">This is very important because it is well known that a north- south exposure for the vineyard causes Chardonnay vines to get sunburnt fruit, which in turn develops into flat wine with heavy aromas. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><strong>Tasting Notes</strong> </span></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><p align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';color:#777777;" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;">The Chardonnay Single Vineyard “Quebrada Seca” is a very fresh wine, with tropical aromas such as papaya, a natural crispy acidity, a smooth creamy texture, and distinctive mineral notes. The barrel is used very carefully in the production process, adding a complexity of flavour to the wine, however, the fruit is always first. </span></span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:'Times New Roman';color:#777777;" ><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong># Most information sourced from Eduardo Jordan, Winemaker of De Martino Vineyards</strong></span>.</span></span></p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-77769093364318441052009-08-21T09:46:00.000-07:002009-08-23T06:19:55.136-07:00Chilean Winemaking Heaven<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vjVY2GQs-mPp2cVJtiha6RYcBsk-dvJ8brDK9F2BF_5SnfZiFwf8Za9yHVCdNGPcAuoB3q0gsL65mRmGe80laP1DYBq9IaWlEhxzdVw56Xn_UUyWfGMYmfk0vNOxvPygRFWTR5iOpC10/s1600-h/topwinemakers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372653264183199666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vjVY2GQs-mPp2cVJtiha6RYcBsk-dvJ8brDK9F2BF_5SnfZiFwf8Za9yHVCdNGPcAuoB3q0gsL65mRmGe80laP1DYBq9IaWlEhxzdVw56Xn_UUyWfGMYmfk0vNOxvPygRFWTR5iOpC10/s320/topwinemakers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"> If we ask us who will be the winemakers that have marked the rules in the Chilean Wine Industry, many would be the names over the table, then, the list of the Top Winemakers Bicentennial 2010 is of only ten winemakers, all Chileans, the ten best ones of our country preselected by their capacity to innovate, by their valuable contribution to the Chilean and international wine, by their awards and prestige. It is not surprising that eight of the ten selected had been chosen at the time as “Best Winemaker of the Year ” by The Guide of Wines from Chile .<br /><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Now, those same 10 winemakers are part of the project “Top Winemakers of the Bicentennial 2010 “ Which consist in that all of them them get the same from the same vineyard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1X7gQMvBiHwIZxrOJ_CC9dJvnszTz8OZutLu9JCs-qje6LAJqFNuKWUaMLgfhrosgHe20TUanrGpCfLVO43-YFcaGtYAmY3cl1WphX96iTtumSK_Wdzqhb8Y8tQFhVcgLnvfNwIH_WdT/s1600-h/topwinemakers2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372653497474739026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 145px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1X7gQMvBiHwIZxrOJ_CC9dJvnszTz8OZutLu9JCs-qje6LAJqFNuKWUaMLgfhrosgHe20TUanrGpCfLVO43-YFcaGtYAmY3cl1WphX96iTtumSK_Wdzqhb8Y8tQFhVcgLnvfNwIH_WdT/s320/topwinemakers2.jpg" border="0" /></a> in the well know Maipo Valley, more expecificly, Alta Jahuel, what we call the " High Maipo ", in the piedmont of the Big Andes Mountain. The mission was to make ten great wines, and thus to offer by the Celebration of the 200 years of the Independence of Chile. The chosen variety would be a Cabernet Sauvignon, by its high recognition at world-wide level and by the standard of quality reached vintage after vintage. The unique freedom for the winemakers, that would help to each one in transmitting its personal style to the wine, would be the possibility of adding until a 30% of other varieties planted in Chile.<br /></div><div align="justify">The 10 wines are part of the "Bicentennial Box", each bottle is signed by their respective winemaker, is a box that will be emblematic and promises to fulfill the idea of making something unique and exclusive. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">The list of the 10 chosen winemakers will be still to be commented, is pretty much a fact that although it is a project for Chile, will transfer our frontiers. as the list of the Big Names of the Chilean Winemaking History. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373147317003964450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LalpNP31FkxIlJch8T4qWxnELNRHXqMB2jEGb9gXUcytHFHKXOWZXcQmjPXI9QsC436jQpId924Fd3XX-w8npzhzd_J5xYL4t7qxdWVL5LBXyanITVBTnRZYInNsWl9lZapOTEngu2Be/s320/topwinemakers3.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The coveted group was formed by the winemakers of seven Chilean wineries. </div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN2vYa-_i1lg2L_cw-6LNKChzRJZsz-tOiHimJxIiswP948Te-FdqgM9NumsIBjWqbGO-c48hdeZc2v2Ym0hYSqp_2XJfFGoOMJ7Ff4wiIm1wmQSD_5xCij_wdhbWfAvimErYKXs2LUaQ/s1600-h/topwinemakers3.jpg"></a>· CeciliaTorres (Santa Rita)<br />· Andrés Ilabaca (Santa Rita)<br />· Ignacio Recabarren (Concha y Toro)<br />· Enrique Tirado (Concha y Toro)<br />· MarceloPapa (Concha y Toro)<br />· Marcelo Retamal (De Martino)<br />· Álvaro Espinoza (Emiliana)<br />· Adolfo Hurtado (Cono Sur)<br />· Aurelio Montes (Montes)<br />· Pablo Morandé L (Morandé)<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.planetavino.com/">http://www.planetavino.com/</a>, extract from article " Un proyecto en grande" by Mariana Martinez. Traslation and more information by David Stevens-Castro</div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-3680843261917470802009-08-05T22:18:00.000-07:002009-08-10T13:33:45.425-07:00New Tendencies in The Chilean Wine Industry<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NZCQSaIfNSqY_5W3VDSZxbTk6T30wdwIDM6hhn_-J2ctWaFiN6eVIYJVakCS52aB8TXUnwmiH5yeFKUnrQAgLMiqOpZTtbbPuMprTeWIQs7hspGVsSEYjMgNmnx3JVK1iA-Q24_g-NRz/s1600-h/chilito.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366716483078398738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 59px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NZCQSaIfNSqY_5W3VDSZxbTk6T30wdwIDM6hhn_-J2ctWaFiN6eVIYJVakCS52aB8TXUnwmiH5yeFKUnrQAgLMiqOpZTtbbPuMprTeWIQs7hspGVsSEYjMgNmnx3JVK1iA-Q24_g-NRz/s320/chilito.jpg" border="0" /></a> The economic crisis does not stop the Chilean wine industry. The irruption of coastal zones, plantations in hight altitude, the global increase of malbec consumption and the emerging of small growers with quality wines are renewing the Chilean Viticulture.
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<br />The collapse of the shipments to the UK, wineries with red numbers and the fall of the prices by bottle. Even the most confused of the Chileans it has a notion of the complicated reality that the Chilean Wine Industry lives nowadays. In fact, already will be almost a year of negative headlines in the specialized press.
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<br />The data is hard, the international economic crisis strike with force. In May, the last month with official statistics, showed that the shipments fell 9,4 percent with respect to this month of the last year, furthermore the price average by box that received the wineries arrive at 24.9 USD, a low of 15,3% .
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<br />Against to that reality, the logical thing is that the Chilean Wine Companies became conservative, put the brake in the investments and they would restrict their businesses to the successful areas. That would be the natural decision.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeXHi6aIJm94MNfvx08HD95mJHKmyD5AYXDGKpAO3bnvmKf07V5g782w5eed2G9DoRcf24C7ZuTY1lXGAaFBrrj2jtr845AZAPUSZE3QkMye_6gfAFVMETrtyUKS5gEUdXgPdbZ2fH4VJ/s1600-h/all+ways.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366716736591074178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeXHi6aIJm94MNfvx08HD95mJHKmyD5AYXDGKpAO3bnvmKf07V5g782w5eed2G9DoRcf24C7ZuTY1lXGAaFBrrj2jtr845AZAPUSZE3QkMye_6gfAFVMETrtyUKS5gEUdXgPdbZ2fH4VJ/s320/all+ways.png" border="0" /></a>
<br />Nevertheless, by these days the national wine industry lives one of last creative moments in years.
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<br />After many criticism and journalists complain against the Carmenere, recently the wineries took the pulse of him and placed the “Clos Apalta “and “Carmin de Peumo” between the best wines in the world.
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<br />Meanwhile, in coastal zones as Concon, Zapallar, Coastal Rapel begin to appear the first vineyards, all regions where before were not any interest in grapevines for winemaking, nowadays they are taking all the attention of the wine companies.
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<br />Other wineries are climbing the Andes mountain from the Elqui, Cachapoal or even Colchagua wine regions, leaving the comfort and minors costs of the flat zones of valleys, seeking for fresh areas with less alcohol, specially to grow Reds varieties.
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<br />And now is not like how it was in the great boom of the 90' s, in which tens of wine growers were sent of head to plant the international fashion as the Sauvignon Blanc or took by assault specific zones like Apalta or the High part of the Maipo Valley to plant red varieties. </div><div align="justify">
<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366717583309759282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOie05_xjksi0JC6Mo3V12DItLRBlj-R0mAwSQ2IKGbxv15wxtYc8AbvSDYzkZ-5rwaoYRzKWo-BGWuOzyeQg4XOHN74iIoW62-CGWAJW7IC6tIO3u4aVtBJijTTdiyXIcynN72Wr7jUZ/s320/sav+blanc.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="justify">No massive tendencies. In these days everyone is trying to achieve the difference, to advance towards where few they have gone, to take off itself of the competition.
<br /></p><p align="justify">In depth, it is a work of fine syntony to identify geographic niches with the right varieties and take the maximum of them to get good benefit.
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<br />That these tendencies arise from pure innovation plus with a individual character shows clearly how mature is the business of the Chilean wine.
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<br /><strong>Chilean Wine Tendencies
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<br /><strong>Malbec in Rise </strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINDYWBSaqsnMYDLAl6_3m8D1zeTMeD1OixtSSBR_EmLZSeRMmwKSsnix0B4FzhHE8CqHEFjN7CzvoIu9z4uqLF7-1_OsK1N1qtBEMjpLiSnZY0RIdIcrlv1_GldN7VhyphenhyphenkJZZ75oTMbOOe/s1600-h/malbec.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366791879025887666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 97px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINDYWBSaqsnMYDLAl6_3m8D1zeTMeD1OixtSSBR_EmLZSeRMmwKSsnix0B4FzhHE8CqHEFjN7CzvoIu9z4uqLF7-1_OsK1N1qtBEMjpLiSnZY0RIdIcrlv1_GldN7VhyphenhyphenkJZZ75oTMbOOe/s320/malbec.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />In these days the Argentinean Malbec is having a crack in the United States. His character and friendly value have done it one of the fashionable varieties in New York and Washington.
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<br />To this side of the Andes Mountain, the inadvertent news non-stop. Even though the supply of grapes of malbec is relatively low in Chile, the demand of the wineries for this variety is firm and are several grape growers who have sent themselves planting it.
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<br />But is not a matter of imitating an international fashion. The history of the Malbec in Chile in spite of being long - is not rare to find vineyards with seven or more decades in Colchagua valley or Maule valley - is little well-known. Nevertheless, the malbec of this side of the Andes mountain has shown an interesting performance.
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<br />The bottle “Viu 1 “ of Viu Manent winery was chosen in 2003 the best Malbec by the South American wine guide
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<br />But, what can contribute Chile to a variety that is so associated to Argentina?
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<br />According to Juan Pablo Lecaros, winemaker of Viu Manent, in general terms, the Chilean Malbec is robust, with lots of spices and complexity. Furthermore they have a Good acidity, which makes wines to cellar well.
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<br />On the other hand, Argentinian Malbec in their majority, are very floral, with enough red fruit like candy and mouth of light weight . “I believe that in Colchagua, specially in old vineyards, being located in clay soils, malbec is obtaining full expression. The common denominator is the fertile soils existence, old vines plus a great thermal differential during the day” affirms Lecaros
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<br />Nevertheless, the interesting thing is that this variety adapts in remarkable form to the crazy Chilean geography. In the coastal zone of Casablanca “ Loma Larga vineyards” has drawn attention with a malbec of marine influence, quite different to the Argentinean Malbec Region which is several hundreds of kilometres of the near beach and is cultivated in the heat of the high mountains.
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<br /><strong>In the Coast
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<br />In the principle it was Casablanca. During the 80’s and 90’s this valley was synonymous of coastal wines. At the beginning of the 21st century appeared “ Leyda Valley “ to contrarest with and other Cool climate wines. Nevertheless, the interest to look for new coastal destinies took force in the last time. </p><p align="justify">Exists vineyards of first of second year, while some people with investment is just starting to plant, the Chilean wine industry is seeking new spots close to the pacific ocean. </p><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f2NW7u6Mc9tsKLQ29eGrtdF7w1KHWIWVBDS8irtXW_d7tUHuOeubSID0iOoQdj87ukxS-Y8eu6R0FVajYEMEEPdKQdONWhvoSSQy4SUWgi0AGM-NZlj281FCuMHEsnaspGkvlZPzspPz/s1600-h/atodacosta.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366795132568519010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 122px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f2NW7u6Mc9tsKLQ29eGrtdF7w1KHWIWVBDS8irtXW_d7tUHuOeubSID0iOoQdj87ukxS-Y8eu6R0FVajYEMEEPdKQdONWhvoSSQy4SUWgi0AGM-NZlj281FCuMHEsnaspGkvlZPzspPz/s320/atodacosta.jpg" border="0" /></a>Eduardo Chadwick, owner of errazuriz vineyards and arboleda winery bet by “the Manzanar” Vineyard, at 14 km of the opening of the river Aconcagua, in the proximities of Concon. Aurelio Montes sharpens his wine producing project in the proximities of the exclusive Beach of “Zapallar”. Guillermo Luksic is right into his vineyard at the feet of the “Altos del Taninay”, 12 km of the sea, in the Limari valley. Concha y Toro, the most important wine estate in Chile, already planted 200 ha, in “ La Boca “, where the Rapel River opens and get the ocean in the Sixth region. The results are so interesting that some of the grapes of Sauvignon Blanc are in the premium line called “ Terrunyo”
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<br />On the other hand, this is absolutely necessary, because we have to be able to offer wines that have some differences with the traditional Chilean Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. It affirms Marcelo Papa, winemaker of Concha y Toro. </p><p align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366794663220214978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 349px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 139px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7SCzXD6UrVEdf5z6N3NysyADrK9339x-joWHGShT6x8uUylQ1xsIwayfCaUL7z_crQZz5ZPJxPSOQUf1g1WRdxGOCIdblSY-wlpgWvx9GlV8jMGkOEh0yLYR7iNHFZQ-AoR8ltAlBv8V/s320/san+antonio.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>In the Andes
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<br />When the Undurraga family decided to return to the wine industry, after sold their traditional winery, they cruised around all different Chilean wine regions, specially in the VI Region. In the end, the election to install “ Koyle ”, their New project, was a land near the premountain range in the sector of “Los Lingues”. The plantations, that began in 2007, are located near 500 meters of height and with possibilities of climbing until the 800. “ We wanted to differentiate us from other wineries. In high altitude we could find low average temperatures than in the bottom of the valley.
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<br />That allows us to obtain fresh wines and less alcoholic than in the plane of the central valley. Those are characteristics that the worldwide new consumers are demanding with big force. That is what explains Cristobal Undurraga, technical manager of Koyle winery.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeT2cQxXlRewnVGZCjRtgYqsaxS08wz7K8oftf42ZEi4yqBXXeI-E1ySnbSi6BWl9yrHPo8NQ4Q2rRIrCm_6_9VY12G5ywdwREwkQsmznjdTsqeQJytMCankgiZAdLSL1B6rJov-8JxOBO/s1600-h/limari5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366795516659762226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeT2cQxXlRewnVGZCjRtgYqsaxS08wz7K8oftf42ZEi4yqBXXeI-E1ySnbSi6BWl9yrHPo8NQ4Q2rRIrCm_6_9VY12G5ywdwREwkQsmznjdTsqeQJytMCankgiZAdLSL1B6rJov-8JxOBO/s320/limari5.jpg" border="0" /></a>The commitment of Undurraga with the wines of high altitude is like promote the launching of the denomination “High Colchagua”. But Koyle, is not lonely . “Altair winery” of the group San Pedro-Tarapaca develops to a project premium for a decade in the high zone of Cachapoal, on the 700 meters of height. But to the north, in the premountain range of the Elqui valley, De Martino Vineyards it sharpens the details for launching of an extreme Shiraz, with vines planted at 2000 meters. Something to look forward in the future tastings.
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<br />Something to mention is that the costs and difficulties also grow. It is necessary to add the costs to pump the irrigation water, besides the possibility of mechanical harvest in the grape harvest are diluted by the majors slops, nevertheless the pioneers are all agree that all this investment is worthwhile as long as the growers understand their “ Terroir ” in perfection.
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<br />“ We make wines with high balance, great concentration of color and the aromas of fresh fruit”, sais Ana Maria Cumsille, winemaker of Altair.
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<br /><strong>Old Vines </strong>
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<br /></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhMVvQAka7PahP2dCmTamb4L7lA1Mgcdcm2_slJDhKU22TrrpJyzONrizcPnosx_Af5iz1PnmdMR7ieIjMXZ0UjmcPQIgL9bRGwyCTyzpYhlMwO6eMDh_z_2W0DrDbeclwqzUgniKhl6i/s1600-h/old+bush.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366799137075974402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhMVvQAka7PahP2dCmTamb4L7lA1Mgcdcm2_slJDhKU22TrrpJyzONrizcPnosx_Af5iz1PnmdMR7ieIjMXZ0UjmcPQIgL9bRGwyCTyzpYhlMwO6eMDh_z_2W0DrDbeclwqzUgniKhl6i/s320/old+bush.jpg" border="0" /></a>Often To innovate implies to create new things, to bring technology from the outside, to plant new varieties or clones. Nevertheless, there are times that only are enough with giving a new Glance him to which alwa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHMntVmDBV_PVRnun2mjfC1ZhkzreiaCMwAW_mrq68jT0U8nRE2aMwHKmE3aFKlBdOAl2tuyrNdUduKPEyZT3itgLQBQnRUDuiV4o7aVYB_1Md7us6M75w2p9RZUTOlEjwKNpNfmiRGUC/s1600-h/old+bush.jpg"></a>ys it has been presents/displays and that by habitual and the daily thing do not assign value to him .
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<br />The modernization of the Chilean wine industry in the 80’ and 90’s, mainly was planting new vineyards and replacing old plants for new ones. In the last time some wineries are rescuing old vineyards of half a century of life . One of the leaders of the process is Marcelo Retamal, the restless winemaker of De Martino Vineyards, who developed the Old Bush Vines Line.
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<br />The objective is to aim at the expert consumers; those that wish to leave the massive wines, that although they are correct as far as quality have the homogenisation of the wine globalisation. For those that are looking for some character and personality, wines able to express the tipicity of a specific place of the world. The grace is that they do not have problems with paying 20 by bottle, a lot more of the average in the Chilean industry. “The vines with decades of life are balanced, their roots had explored the ground in depth. They are able to express very clearly, the Terroir in where they are, The Place of origin, and that is something that who love the wine values much. It affirms Eduardo Jordan, assistant winemaker of De Martino.
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<br /><strong>Carmenere, the Chilean Variety.</strong>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOMMvylg-3y749tWb20Op20HkJpEM-FsAO9vuMRla4ubzNxU-mcUxEDuXn7LV7TmZgHotuP7-B0xuSC248nDPJBUCGr33l3XghD1XDajAK-A2HlzPmkrmFWIWSlECoLRazYfLU1n5F05O/s1600-h/clos+apalta.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366796431517870626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 87px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOMMvylg-3y749tWb20Op20HkJpEM-FsAO9vuMRla4ubzNxU-mcUxEDuXn7LV7TmZgHotuP7-B0xuSC248nDPJBUCGr33l3XghD1XDajAK-A2HlzPmkrmFWIWSlECoLRazYfLU1n5F05O/s320/clos+apalta.jpg" border="0" /></a>Although there is consensus in which from the 15 bottles of U.S. Retail Price already It’s consolidate a good quality level and consistency, the challenge is that in next years the advance of Carmenere consolidates towards levels of low prices, but especially in the varietals.
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<br />Until half of this decade it was unanimity of the international criticism:
<br />Carmenere, the large mask of prow of the Chilean grape and wine growing, did not get the width and length to compete an international level.
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<br />The excessively herbaceous and capsicum aromas were not receive nicely for the judges and international tasters.
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<br />Furthermore, the heterogeneity of styles was remarkable, in if it is not a defect. But as the quality were not have the best ones only it disoriented the clients who faced this variety for the first time.
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<br />But in the last time Carmenere, gave a remarkable jump. Clos Apalta of Casa Lapostolle winery and “Carmin de Peumo” received the international aclamation by the end of the 2008.
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<br />The bottle Clos Apalta 2005, in fact was chosen the best one of the world 2008 by Wine Spectator, the influential American magazine.
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<br />“For about 18 to 24 months ago that the situation of carmenere change. The Chilean wineries began to show that they are taking the pulse of the variety. There is a greater consistency in the supply of the Chilean vines, and not only I speak of expensive wines. We are in a flexion point.” It explains Ignacio Recabarren, Winemaker of “Carmin of Peumo”.
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<br />An irrigation that allows to maintain the green leaves towards the harvest, foliage opening so that the sun touches to the clusters and thick the skin of the grapes is part of the techniques that allowed to give the jump in quality.
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<br />* Information of this article is <em>from: Las 5 nuevas tendencias del vino Chile, Revista del Campo, Diario El Mercurio. by David Stevens-Castro</em>. </p>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-64478628641683444872009-07-19T14:36:00.000-07:002009-07-19T16:58:31.348-07:00The Limari Valley, our new Star.<div align="justify"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHKbTvRGnAm3SO_4z4WRZfz8n1_cH3PpbufhytacfN_6VwOM-tCSyJrK1pBSYw8lb7NIun21R-4U4rFEvWx7JiQDA6fUZW7qDgJj4nJRptmpN7-3yZvoV4Ppadf3msJuj7KNZEDxwOwsy/s1600-h/limari1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360322739854860466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHKbTvRGnAm3SO_4z4WRZfz8n1_cH3PpbufhytacfN_6VwOM-tCSyJrK1pBSYw8lb7NIun21R-4U4rFEvWx7JiQDA6fUZW7qDgJj4nJRptmpN7-3yZvoV4Ppadf3msJuj7KNZEDxwOwsy/s320/limari1.jpg" border="0" /></a> This dry region in the mountainous north of Chile was relatively unknown to winemakers until years ago. Today, the rapidly growing landscape is quickly gaining a reputation for producing excellent Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays produced in the cool climate style.<br /></div><div align="justify">Located about 400 km. North to Santiago, Limarí Valley is Chile's "hot" new "cool" climate viticultural region.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">An up-and-coming region to watch: In 1995 there were just 230 acres of vineyards across Limarí; there are now over 4,000 acres planted, with more on the way.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">The Valley lies along the south border of the Atacama desert, the driest place on earth. But it benefits from a strong coastal influence - even more so than Chile's other coastal areas - because the mountain range which hugs the shoreline begins in the Valley. That means lower elevations, which allow ocean breezes to blow in all throughout the day. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Lower elevation also means less shade, for the brilliant sunlight and higher temperatures that promote vigorous grape growth. High daytime and low nighttime temperature variations contribute concentrated color, aroma and flavor to the grapes (dry days yield remarkably healthy fruit, while cool nights allow the vines to rest and use their sugars to synthesize aromatic substances).<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRRk_JyBIkYdYSMqlRcScfmhMNJQjiRhtIFso8RVXpewcLjG7v7vvGViRH9ixB_C9O1hNlRwqGa_TGJL5YnCehPrAW2Tco9PyYx-KRkd9hJu_Zb0T9sEEfmViJ6QQfVRCkkII1JYMdjT9/s1600-h/limari2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360323150653694258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRRk_JyBIkYdYSMqlRcScfmhMNJQjiRhtIFso8RVXpewcLjG7v7vvGViRH9ixB_C9O1hNlRwqGa_TGJL5YnCehPrAW2Tco9PyYx-KRkd9hJu_Zb0T9sEEfmViJ6QQfVRCkkII1JYMdjT9/s320/limari2.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Despite the morning mist and dense coastal fog - known as Camanchaca - water is scarce. Drip irrigation is the rule, with the barest amount of water used to achieve perfect ripeness and greatly concentrated grapes.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">This microclimate, combined with a unique limestone bed buried under Limarí Valley's alluvial clay soils, is perfect for white grapes. Poor soils generate stressed vines and low yield, which allow the aromas and colors to concentrate in the fruit instead of feeding the leaves. Variations in soil composition and depth, along with an irregular landscape marked by slopes, creeks, and hillside planting facilitate optimum environments for individual varieties.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">These natural conditions encourage grapes to ripen slowly, promoting crisp natural acidity and outstanding development of aromas. The wines show a very appealing flinty quality resulting from desert soil rich in minerals, calcium and salt, the estructure is chalky with clay and stones, this condition produce wines of great character and minerality.</div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKRscITdcL3KtlKToFvIvfjnyhpAm437H97id9Zi8jBRcYx3uyeMMwHn0eWEZnSLZD_DavWr9o-t04kYiR56_NibqX8SSTzneKEMhCY9LjdvX8wqqd0HtFxDeMUy-uF0OtHNLakkSxmuM/s1600-h/limari4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360323730477420034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKRscITdcL3KtlKToFvIvfjnyhpAm437H97id9Zi8jBRcYx3uyeMMwHn0eWEZnSLZD_DavWr9o-t04kYiR56_NibqX8SSTzneKEMhCY9LjdvX8wqqd0HtFxDeMUy-uF0OtHNLakkSxmuM/s320/limari4.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">To create wines in this valley, the wineries are being able to classify the soils, divide and handle separately each of the different places, helped with satellite photos, air images, measurements of electric conductivities of the soils and a full physical and chemical description of trial pits in the vineyards.<br /><br />In that form, the winemaking stuffs can integrate that information to work better with the grapevines, with the different varieties and finally expressing the personality of the wines.<br /><br />Is quite exciting what can happen with the Limary Valley, at the moment is few big companies working hard to get the best out of it, such as: Santa Rita, De Martino , Tabali, Maycas, Cono Sur.<br /><br /></div><div align="justify">Is a must for every wine lover to have a go with the wines from the Limari Valley, whites are crispy and mineral by nature, and the fruit that the reds can produce is absolutely different to the other ones from Colchagua, Maipo and Cachapoal. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2557238319714709968.post-39081455018067201862009-07-10T18:39:00.000-07:002009-07-11T15:33:07.452-07:00Harvest 2009: Chile's Dry Season<span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>A warm and dry year leads to ripe wines and slightly higher yields</strong></span><br /><br /><div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Chilean vintners grappled with a long and drier-than-usual growing season in 2009, with initial reports indicating ripe, forward-styled wines. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLnjNiP0BB48jjU2oTQZmmCbsjoJoZadqearYsHLkYdoAjV3KcjGD3DD_C63gpZwlfmCehy9VWgnv8TXxaIRObzuI4QbYlmbYQPl-yk-yPVmHICI8muB_CSHKmIsdYmTkBH8bARZmkKsE/s1600-h/Maipo+Valley+2.jpg"></a></div><div align="justify"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357332460013542946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAVKUoC8tpsc6F4tlxJjLbmvphZ_eFIBQijPkLkvMnDB28565tlHKNf40VALsV4z9RfgXu-iq2Gbzgqiw1vBxaUEWbc7d9Abe6ArSwn8Xg1AHDeD8JdkleMjXlHV39mzP9rD12vMHMEsE/s320/Maipo+Valley+2.jpg" border="0" /> The season stretched from the middle of February through the end of May. Growers started harvest with their early-ripening white varieties and ended with late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère grapes.<br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLnjNiP0BB48jjU2oTQZmmCbsjoJoZadqearYsHLkYdoAjV3KcjGD3DD_C63gpZwlfmCehy9VWgnv8TXxaIRObzuI4QbYlmbYQPl-yk-yPVmHICI8muB_CSHKmIsdYmTkBH8bARZmkKsE/s1600-h/Maipo+Valley+2.jpg"></a></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">The season's dry conditions were some of the most severe on record, with some areas reporting zero rainfall from October through the end of harvest.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">The quality of red varieties from the warmer, inland areas of Maipo, Rapel and Aconcagua valley look to be variable, with vineyard management an important factor through the growing season.</div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhZR8r0_ndSRjrzcLCaaKnWkm-Yj8KgMjRwhoQTi-sKn6sBWJacl_6nbBw-SyeNUO9vLWLYi6WlRfIB-kFe92brIPkR9Uss4KUMvPZ_qA6gnJN7wc8OEl2xj5ubIoZgjrN1OQsOsTd6eE/s1600-h/Apalta,+Rapel+Valley.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357325629628920498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhZR8r0_ndSRjrzcLCaaKnWkm-Yj8KgMjRwhoQTi-sKn6sBWJacl_6nbBw-SyeNUO9vLWLYi6WlRfIB-kFe92brIPkR9Uss4KUMvPZ_qA6gnJN7wc8OEl2xj5ubIoZgjrN1OQsOsTd6eE/s320/Apalta,+Rapel+Valley.jpg" border="0" /></a>In this long dry season It was very important to adjust the leaf pulling to protect the fruit from high temperatures and sun to avoid color and acidity loss, that is why the high temperatures had a big impact in traditionally warm valleys. Expecting high alcohols wines with low acidities.<br /><br /></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Colchagua, was in the normal range and most of the grapes came in healthy. sunburn affected color and flavors on Cabernet Sauvignon,Syrah and Carmenère performed particularly well. </div><div align="justify"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357326286555282882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 156px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRxuca7psbXllav7CMCWMWnYhbCopFefZuHfrew0XVRaTWWhrbJPl9EkcXp3Y3LDTv0EIyqH3CO3zw9P8i0TAo9PBRUtXE7LH3jUK8770EokUYZ-40vGUXDqmwU3Mre9wkBPVf7lYv-pQ/s320/Casablanca+valley+2.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="justify">In cooler, coastal areas, where the quality of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc has surged in recent years, along with Syrah and Pinot Noir, growers reported that the warm, dry conditions were offset by markedly cooler nights.<br />Limarí valley shows very ripe fruit and at this time fat, soft wines that are a little bit less vibrant in terms of acidity.<br /><br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Casablanca valley It was an early harvest for Pinot Noir and Syrah with high maturity, and the Flavors were on the ripe side, but nothing seemed overripe." </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKKnBoQzQ8bKSSQG2p2oXOlOuJGKjr6XKwVVZxx0vdM6zb4uj2Gj5zU7Fna8_R75MdNo-1fQSUyXPG9AScSbmbHLQ_xEHCWZg_8ztS_VcsPRDSOY3aliMYFRrYDLRTH9bTDiLmybWX1uM/s1600-h/Leyda+Valley.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357333616846828946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 141px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKKnBoQzQ8bKSSQG2p2oXOlOuJGKjr6XKwVVZxx0vdM6zb4uj2Gj5zU7Fna8_R75MdNo-1fQSUyXPG9AScSbmbHLQ_xEHCWZg_8ztS_VcsPRDSOY3aliMYFRrYDLRTH9bTDiLmybWX1uM/s320/Leyda+Valley.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify">Growers also reported slightly higher than normal yields in 2009, with 10 percent to 20 percent higher crop loads than in either 2008 or 2007.<br /><br />Most of information is from <a href="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Free/Authors/Author_Page/0,1173,20,00.html">James Molesworth</a>, in his report at www.winespectator.com </div></div>David Stevens-Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16105263805896411807noreply@blogger.com0